The stunning Wisconsin backdrop may be a beautiful setting for an eerie murder mystery, but is The Vanishing of Ethan Carter worth a look or should it simply disappear?

The hype around The Vanishing of Ethan Carter has been building for some time, as it was out on PS4 and PC long before it hit the Xbox One. Whilst the chatter was generally positive, I had to see for myself after being disappointed by other ‘walking simulators’. Thankfully, Ethan Carter follows in the footsteps of games such as Dear Ester and Firewatch, as the environmental storytelling is second-to-none.

Right from the outset, the game openly states that it does not hold your hand and you are free to roam to the game world and find the story for yourself. Whilst some will find this disorientating at first, getting lost in this stunning world is a pleasure and walking from forest, to cliff, to abandoned hamlet is a joy. The lack of load screens helps keep players in the world and knee-deep in the story.

The graphics are some of the best of the system and you’ll find yourself stopping to take in the views. This becomes even more important once you realise that you are there to solve a crime. You’ll need to keep an eye out for clues in order to piece together the story of a missing boy. As a paranormal investigator, you have the ability to see into the past and piece together parts of a puzzle into a cohesive story. Once connected you unlock the next part of the mystery.

Whilst the majority of puzzles are a natural progression and fit well with the overall theme of the game, the mine section in the middle takes almost an hour to escape and feels out of place with the rest of the game. However, once you finally crack the code, the rest of the game unfolds at a gentle pace until its satisfying conclusion. At only four hours, the game never overstays its welcome and feels more like an interactive movie than a game.

Overall, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a narrative experience worth losing yourself in. The stunning graphics, gripping environmental storytelling and meandering gameplay set the bar high for future walking simulators.

As part of my own game development journey, I’ve been interviewing talented developers from across the globe. In this interview, I catch up with Indie game developer Dan Da Rocha from Toxic Games in the UK to discuss his journey from Q.U.B.E that was created in a shared house by a small team to its sequel three years later.

During this window, Dan created games including the award-winning Hue, amongst others. We talk about the changes that happen between his first success and the follow up from moving into a dedicated studio to assigning a game director.

Dan Da Rocha is a huge part of the indie game industry in the U.K. taking part in various events, giving presentations and showcasing his game.

]]>Indie Platforming Games You have To Tryhttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2018/01/31/indie-platforming-games-try/
Tue, 30 Jan 2018 23:34:13 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=10052Xbox One has a fantastic array of indie platformers

After a recent comment on a review of Turn On for Xbox One, I became inspired. The comment asked me for recommendations on indie platforming games on the Xbox One. Once I had compiled my list, I realised that Xbox has a fantastic array of games that appeal to both children and adults alike. Similarly, looking to the future, the horizon looks good for the genre. Here are my recommendations for platforming games on Xbox One.

Inside

Following the story of a young boy born into in a dark and oppressive system, you find yourself escaping from, or running towards something in the world. Inside was developed by the creative team behind monochromatic ‘Limbo’ and whilst this has slightly more colour, it is still dark and muted. Inside has beautiful animations and a narrative that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Rogue Legacy

Rogue Legacy is a genealogical rogue-like in which anyone can be a hero. Each time the player dies, their child succeeds them. Every child is unique. One child might be colour blind, have I.B.S or even have Tourette’s. They could even be a dwarf. That’s OK because no one’s perfect, and you don’t have to be to win this game. Its retro graphics and good humour makes it an essential game for your library.

Shovel Knight

Shovel Knight is side-scrolling action adventure game with an awesome 8-bit retro aesthetic, fun gameplay and memorable characters. Armed with the ShovelBlade, You play as the eponymous Shovel Knight, a small knight with a massive quest. Shovel Knight has two goals: to defeat the evil Enchantress and save his lost beloved. This perfectly blends nostalgic gameplay with modern gaming expectations.

Max and the Curse of Brotherhood

After using a magic spell found on the Internet, Max accidentally sends his little brother to another world and subsequently has to save him. Armed with a magic marker that allows you to control mounds of earth, grow vines and direct streams of water, Max sets off across a colourful world fun of monsters and perils in a fantastic side-scrolling adventure.

Limbo

This monochromatic adventure by Playdead sees a young boy trek through a dark and foreboding forest full of weird creatures, death traps and eerie puzzles. On a quest to save his sister, the unarmed boy roams the film-noir inspired world and dies many times, in many different ways. Definitely not one for the younger players.

Child of Light

Child of Light is a beautiful hand-drawn adventure game in which you play a recently deceased little girl called Aurora, who is tasked to bring back the sun, the moon and the stars held captive by the Queen of the Night, in order to return home. Armed with a sword, a firefly and a host of characters you find on the way, Aurora must find a mirror and save both her own and her fathers’ life.

Ori and the Blind Forest

This beautiful and enchanted platformer blends whimsical creatures and settings, with a multitude of emotional highs and lows. You play Ori, a white guardian spirit, and Sein, the “light and eyes” of the Forest’s Spirit Tree. In Ori, players move between platforms and solve a variety of puzzles. A word of warning, however, you may cry ten minutes into the game.

Guacamelee and Guacamelee 2

In Guacamelee, you play Juan, a humble farmer in love with the president’s daughter. When she is kidnapped and you are killed whilst trying to save her, you are given a magical Luchador mask in the land of the dead. You are promptly sent back to the land of the living to stop the evil Charro before he sacrifices the president’s daughter in a ritual that will allow him to take over both worlds. The art style is fantastic and the game is packed full of colourful characters from Mexican mythology.

Hue

Hue is a charming adventure platformer that uses colour and ingenious level design to generate a myriad of fantastic puzzles. Players are able to change the colour of the game’ backdrop and must use this mechanic to navigate the world, phasing objects in and out of existence.

Although it seems like a simple mechanic, this unique idea has been built into a cohesive single-player experience. The more colours that a player collects, the more difficult the puzzles become. However, despite its later complexities, it never strays too far away from the game’s core values.

Dead Cells

Dead Cells is a melting pot of game types, concepts and ideas all wrapped up in a cool 16-bit visual art style. On the one hand, it’s very much a Metroidvania, however, it is also a rouge-lite (similar to Rogue Legacy) and it’s randomisation makes it exciting each time you play. It’s challenging difficulty levels is akin to games such as Dark Souls.

Players must collect enemy blueprints, upgrades, weapons, and items throughout the game, all of which can be handed over for safekeeping to a strange old man known only as the collector. These various upgrades and items make each new run unique, given you’ll have more tools at your disposal.

Whilst there are many more to choose from and an ever-growing library on the Xbox One, these titles are well worth playing and highlight the very best that the Xbox has to offer.

]]>Licensed Games for Children on Xbox Onehttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2018/01/26/licensed-kids-games-xbox-one/
Thu, 25 Jan 2018 23:19:46 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=10024Do licenced games still suck? I take a look at 20+ licenced children's games...

With Transformers being removed from the Xbox Store this month due to licensing agreements, it got me thinking about all the other licensed games currently on Xbox One. Back in the days of the Super Nintendo, you couldn’t move for Ninja Turtles, Disney characters, Superheroes or cartoon characters. In more recent years, licensed games have got a bad reputation with many being mediocre at best. However, when Transformers: Devastation came out, it set a new benchmark for licensed games. Platinum Games put more effort into perfecting the cartoon colours than the original cartoon’s animators. They hired the original voice actors for Optimus Prime, Megatron, Soundwave, Grimlock, and lots of other Transformers. Platinum also added Vince DiCola, original composer for 1986’s Transformers: The Movie into the mix and created an ode to the classic series. It was a joyous romp down memory lane and THE ultimate Transformers video game. Now it is time to suspend my disbelief and check out some of the other licensed games on the Xbox One.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Mega Battle – Broken

With the new Powers Rangers movie hitting cinemas, releasing a 2D side-scrolling beat-em-up to cash in on the buzz seemed like a fantastic idea. However, the end result was a cheap and nasty rush job that was not only full of bugs. but had the same 30 second sound loop played throughout the whole game. I had hoped this would be good, but I was sorely let down.

Ben 10 – Short

Ben 10 is 3D action brawler based on the latest Cartoon Network version of the franchise. The visuals are great and the gameplay does the job. There are 10 aliens to use but seven are locked from the beginning and are simply given to you when you need their particular ability. The cutscenes work well and the special moves do break up the button-mashing. However, the biggest gripe has to be the longevity as it has six stages and only three boss battles, meaning the game can be completed in two hours. It would have been nice to see Gwen 10 as a secondary player so children can at least play together. Sadly, this game is too short to warrant the high price tag.

Winx Club: Alfea Butterflix Adventure – In-App Purchases

The low price of £7.99 is instantly appealing when looking for a game for your children, but be warned this is more akin to an iPad app than a console game. The game is littered with in-app purchases asking players to pay twice the games price tag for a pack of diamonds that can be used to unlock clothes and collectable cards. At the low price, I was happy to ignore the PS2 style graphics and even forgive the bugs and clipping when the player touches doors and walls, but once you hit the ‘in-app’ purchases, all respect and patience for the game disappears.

Disney Rush – Excellent!

I love this game on SO many levels. Disney Rush is based on the Pixar movies including; The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Up, Toy Story, Finding Nemo and Cars. Whilst the games do not follow the story of the films, they actually do so much more. The beautiful premise of Rush is that you are a child playing in a park with other children, when you select a level to play, you are essentially playing a make-believe game with one of the children in the park. You will find yourself escaping an Omnidroid factory with The Incredibles, Chasing the house in Up or preparing for the Piston Cup in Cars. The games can be playing by one or two players and the gameplay is very forgiving, meaning that younger players can get through the levels with little input. This is a fantastic game for children and parents alike as parents can drop in and out as and when they are needed for some of the ‘tougher’ puzzles.

Steven Universe: Save the Light – Passable

This beautiful RPG game inspired by Paper Mario is the spiritual successor to the mobile game ‘Attack the Light’. Show creator Rebecca Sugar teamed up with Grumpy Face studios to create a fantastic tie-in to the increasingly popular show. The game introduces a new villain and many of the show’s characters are present and accounted for. Overall, the game is generally good, but it does suffer from a number of bugs including missing sound effects and seemingly unachievable achievements.

Cartoon Network: Battle Crashers – Avoid

When a game is based on animation and comedy, you’d think that it would be brimming with animation and sound. Sadly, the game has only a limited set of animations and next to no voice overs. The graphics feel disjointed and flat and the sound effects were ‘phoned in’. Whilst the music is pretty good and the premise is sound, the overall experience is not worth your time.

The Disney Afternoon Collection – Nostalgic

This collection of licensed games from the 90’s will appeal to those who played them originally, as they are a fun romp down memory lane. The added ‘rewind’ option also means that you can rewind time to avoid mistakes and complete the games. Games such as Duck Tales are still fun and challenging, whilst Talespin is as infuriating as it was back in its heyday. The Rescue Rangers does offer two-player support but children of today are likely to prefer something a little more forgiving.

OK KO – Let’s Play Heroes – Charming

OK KO – Let’s Play Heroes is a single player adventure game that is set in the plaza from the TV show. You are tasked with completing a number of quests and side quests that mainly involve you meeting a character, getting a fetch quest and fighting your way to the requested object. Power cards unlock additional characters and special moves and there are plenty of boss battles to keep you entertained. The graphics and voice acting fit perfectly with the show and whilst the fighting can become repetitive the game actually has some charm.

Adventure Time: Finn and Jake Investigations – Surprising

This surprising addition to the Adventure Time games library is beautifully rendered and shows off the world and its inhabitants in stunning 3D. Whilst many of the characters are simply cameos, the simple gameplay, competent fighting mechanic and range of challenges are actually pretty fun. Fans of the show will hear many of the same jokes from the TV series, whilst more fairweather viewers will enjoy the new content. Finn and Jake Investigations may not win any awards, but Adventure Time fans will not be disappointed.

Just Dance Disney Party 2 – Limited

We are big fans of the Just Dance games in our house, but even for us, we found that the Disney Party 2 playlist very niche. All the songs are from the ‘teen-focused’ TV shows and movies including The Descendants, Austin & Alley, Violetta, Teen Beach 1 & 2 and Zapped to name a few. You won’t find any of the classic Disney movies on here, so be sure you are up to date on all of your Disney channel shows.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan – Terrible

The original Ninja Turtles games were some of the best-licensed games on the market but sadly, this is not the case for Mutants in Manhattan. Whilst the graphics look good, the frantic fighting, lack of any couch co-op and repetitive levels make this one to avoid. Having four poorly controlled team members fill the screen, players just see a mess of limbs and flips that draws players out of the action and into a state of disappointment.

Goosebumps: The Game – Retro

This movie tie-in game acts as a prequel to the events of the film and sees the player fend off the monsters from the books. However, if you are expecting an action-packed rollercoaster, think again. Goosebumps is an inventory-based point and click adventure game. Whilst many will find this slow, the writing is actually really good and fans of the books will get a few references and in-jokes. The puzzles are generally passable with a few head-scratchers thrown in for good measure. The game can be completed in around seven hours and I actually found myself enjoying this much more than I thought I would.

The Lego Games – Good Clean Fun

Whether you are battling super villains in Marvel Super Heroes, Avengers or Batman, or simply exploring hidden temples or lost worlds in Indiana Jones or Jurassic Park, the Lego games are always fun to play. Travellers Tales have consistently created enjoyable games that can be played by both young and old. The comedy mixes both slapstick and in-jokes and the wealth of content available means games can be as long as you want them to be. Whilst the bundle sets such as Star Wars and Harry Potter do offer longer single-player campaigns, there is still fun to be had in The Hobbit and Batman.

Special Mentions: The Over 12’s

The games below have an age rating of 12 and above, so are not advisable for younger children due to cartoon violence. However, for older children, the following licensed games are also on Xbox One

Marvel Vs. Capcom Infinite – Ugly Fun

The 30 strong character roster in Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite feature some of the best-known figures from both universes including The Hulk, Spiderman, Iron Man, Chun-Li, Mega Man and Dante. The visual style has been updated sinceMarvel vs. Capcom 3 and whilst it looks better overall, the characters seem uglier than previous iterations. However, the fighting is fast and furious and the tag team battles and the addition of the Infinity Stones mean battles are still frantic and fun.

Dragonball Xenoverse 2 – Decent

Fans of the Dragonball series will not be disappointed with Xenoverse 2. The game has some solid fighting mechanics, a vast hub world to explore and a pretty decent character creation section. Couple that with lots to find and secrets to uncover and you have a fun game that improves on its predecessor. The visuals fit nicely with the show and the SFX feels deep and crunchy despite a rather annoying hub world tune. Overall, its fun of action with hours of gameplay to enjoy.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 – Deep

This RPG dungeon crawler improves on the first game with additional characters, improved graphics and the removal of the unnecessary dialogue system. The story is more in line with the cinematic universe after the success of all the recent Marvel movies. Basically, after a group of young superheroes ended up causing death and destruction in a suburban area, the government try to make superheroes register their identity. Some heroes, such as Ironman is ‘for’ the move, whilst others such as Captain America are ‘against’ it. A secret war ensues and the games follow various missions taken from the comics. This is all explained in the first couple of missions, so players do not need to be fans of the comic books first. The game looks great and there is plenty of button mashing combat and exploration to your players busy for weeks.

Ghostbusters – Lacks Spirit

Ghostbusters is yet another licensed game trying to cash in on a mobile release. However, apart from a ‘Slimer’ cameo and a couple of the terror dogs from the original movie, there is very little to connect this game to the Ghostbusters universe. The main characters are different, the weapons are different and it’s not very funny. On the good side, however, is the fact that it is couch co-op and pretty easy to complete, making it an ok game for kids, but not worth the full price tag.

The legend of Korra – Empty

The legend of Korra is a light button-bashing beat-em-up that looks great but has its issues. The cel-shaded look and smooth animations tie in well with the series. However, the tired story, finickety counter controls do lower the overall quality of the game. Fans of the series may enjoy the bending mechanics and seeing the locations from the show, however, many of the other main characters have fleeting moments and barely engage with the hero. For the price, this isn’t too bad of a game, but due to the multitude of missed opportunities and limited enemy variation but doesn’t hit the big leagues.

]]>From Ubisoft to Indie Dev | Francisc Apostu Interviewhttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2018/01/22/10020/
Mon, 22 Jan 2018 22:32:20 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=10020Francisc is deeply analytical, utilizing design principles to solve problems of every type, blending his deep understanding of semiotics to communicate through the language of games. Starting in 2009 at Ubisoft, Francisc Apostu worked on titles such as Just Dance and then moved on to larger titles such as Watch Dogs 1 and 2. After […]

Francisc is deeply analytical, utilizing design principles to solve problems of every type, blending his deep understanding of semiotics to communicate through the language of games. Starting in 2009 at Ubisoft, Francisc Apostu worked on titles such as Just Dance and then moved on to larger titles such as Watch Dogs 1 and 2. After that, he worked in the mobile market creating his very first award-winning mobile game – Link Twin. Francisc has worked across multiple platforms and genres, while also having a holistic understanding and interest in all entertainment fields and their potential to blend well with the traditional creative methodologies from architecture and design.

Francisc was on the remote development panel alongside Dan Da Rocha, David Housden, and Lynne Lui at Game Anglia. I was lucky enough to interview him about all thing video games, from Ubisoft to indie development. Having worked on both AAA titles and smaller ‘award-winning’ mobile games, he has seen the pros and cons of each career path.

Being the founder of No Moon, a creative gaming company is Burrarest, Francisc aims to drive the transition to a better economic system using new production principles, highly autonomous talent and unique game development processes whilst working remotely with professionals from all over the globe. The ultimate aim is to create breathtaking, simple experiences that trip deep emotional triggers, and to funnel everybody’s creativity and freedom from the comfort of their home.

Rime is a beautiful and serene adventure puzzle game re-telling the classic tale of a hero who wakes up on a strange and mysterious island with little memory of his past. The young boy at the centre of Rime’s story is driven forward by an elusive hooded figure and magical fox.

The first area in Rime feels like a fusion of ancient Greek architecture mixed with a lost civilisation. Its clean white buildings on an azure blue sky is reminiscent of stunning holiday spots such as Santorini. Later levels take you to a desert oasis, a deserted town and eventually a rainy mountainside. Whilst all the levels look great, there is little cohesion between them and no narrative link as to why they are that way.

The puzzles are generally simplistic with most requiring players to turn something until doors unlock or bridges extend. Later puzzles include additional mechanics, such as using light and shadows in interesting ways, but nothing ground-breaking that veteran gamers won’t be familiar with. However, for younger gamers, Rime is a safe environment, free from dying and any particularly fearsome foes.

The narrative is left to the player to figure out, at first you will be chasing the red-hooded figure around the map and in certain areas, the friendly fox will highlight your way, but when it comes to story, you are on your own. Rime borrows a lot from games such as ICO, Journey and Shadow of the Colossus, but sadly doesn’t deliver the same experience. Visually, it ticks all the boxes and the HUD-free experience means players can enjoy all of its eye-bleeding beauty. However, the puzzles would be more suited to younger players, but if this was the case, the narrative and wayfinding would need to be equally simplified.

The six-hour gaming journey is not an unpleasant one, the nice shift in camera angles when scaling large building, the swooping bird that can grab you when not in cover and the light puzzles do hold your interest just enough to work through to the game’s mediocre conclusion. Overall, this game is above average, its simplicity and lack of any real threat will appeal to younger audiences, if they can navigate around the maps. For those more ‘hardcore’ gamers, the first island will give you all the insights you need before getting bored and moving on. A feast for the eye, but little nourishment for the belly.

]]>Interview With Ben Tristem: Udemy’s Best Selling Game Development Instructorhttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2018/01/15/interview-ben-tristem-udemys-best-selling-game-development-instructor/
Mon, 15 Jan 2018 22:00:32 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9996After seeing Ben for many hours via his online video courses, I was thrilled to meet the game development master in person at Game Anglia and discuss his life rollercoaster life, his addiction to teaching and his love of game development. This veteran Udemy instructor is one of the top-grossing teachers on the skill sharing […]

After seeing Ben for many hours via his online video courses, I was thrilled to meet the game development master in person at Game Anglia and discuss his life rollercoaster life, his addiction to teaching and his love of game development.

This veteran Udemy instructor is one of the top-grossing teachers on the skill sharing site and has created courses on Unity, Unreal, Blender 3D and many more.

In this interview, we discuss his life, his love of gaming and the best ways for first-time game designers to take their first tentative steps into the amazing world of game development.

So whether you want to tackle Unity, Unreal or even GameMaker, Ben courses take you step-by-step through the process starting with the basic user interface, all the way to more complex programming. I personally took both the Unity and Blender 3D courses when I wanted to get back into game development and found clear, concise and easy to follow.

His passion for teaching is clearly apparent and throughout the day I could feel his passion for creating useful and practical courses. He was a joy to interview and his presentation at Game Anglia is well worth a watch.

]]>The Power of Unity | Liz Mercuri Interviewhttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2018/01/04/liz-mercuri-unity-interview/
Thu, 04 Jan 2018 22:07:19 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9988I was extremely lucky to catch up with the amazing Liz Mercuri from Unity a recent gaming event called Game Anglia. The highly skilled and hugely talented ‘Unity Educational Evangelist’ discussed all things Unity including: What is a Unity Educational Evangelist? How can game developers embrace the Unity community? Where are the best Unity tools […]

I was extremely lucky to catch up with the amazing Liz Mercuri from Unity a recent gaming event called Game Anglia. The highly skilled and hugely talented ‘Unity Educational Evangelist’ discussed all things Unity including:

What is a Unity Educational Evangelist?

How can game developers embrace the Unity community?

Where are the best Unity tools and resources?

Is Unity in schools?

What is The Playground Project?

Game Development and Unity certification tips?

Unity VR Development

And so much more. Whilst I would love to give you all the answers right here, you have to watch the video to find out. If you would like more information on some of the topics we discuss, we see the links below.Useful links:

]]>Video Game Blogging Guide | Part 4: Monetisationhttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2018/01/02/video-game-blogging-guide-part-4-monetisation/
Tue, 02 Jan 2018 22:45:18 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9975Once you have your blog in place and the content is flowing regularly, its time to think how you can actually make some money from it. Have no illusions that your three-month-old blog is suddenly going to be able to sustain you. It can take years to build up a big enough audience to chuck […]

Once you have your blog in place and the content is flowing regularly, its time to think how you can actually make some money from it. Have no illusions that your three-month-old blog is suddenly going to be able to sustain you. It can take years to build up a big enough audience to chuck in the full-time job and blog full time. However, video game blogging does have perks such as free games, free show tickets, sponsorships and even some ad revenue if you are lucky.

Get Free Games

In order to play and review games, you will need to get some games.

To start with, I recommend reviewing or writing about the games you already played first, as this will create a foundation layer of content. This content will help you start to build your audience, as well as give you something to share on social media. This also gives key sites and game studios a flavour of your writing. With some video game blogs online you can then sign up for a couple of key sites such as:

Keymailer.io

Terminals.io

Build an Email List

When I first started out, I was just happy to have people read my stuff. The idea of adding any kind of pop up and collecting emails made me shudder. But email marketing is a great way to bring back users to the site and keep them up to date with your work. As it takes a while to build up a decent size list it is better to start early. Having a monthly email telling them what content they have missed is a great way to bring back readers.

Google Adsense

Adding Google Ads to your website is a quick and simple way to start monetising your blog. However, it is wholly dependent on you actually having an audience. Without visitors, there are no clicks and it’s the clicks that earn the cash. It doesn’t matter if you have one advert or fifty.

Word of warning; too many ads on a page turn off readers and they will never return. It’s not worth it for an extra dollar. Four ads per page should be your maximum. Google guidelines state no more than eight but for me, that is far too many.

Concentrate on building your traffic with good content. When you have a following you can use the Google Adsense app to track which ads are working and updates that can be made.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is another type of click-based marketing. As the blogger, you include links to games, gaming products or gaming services offered through another business’s affiliate program. If a visitor clicks on that link and purchases the good or service, you’ll receive a cut of the cost.

If you choose this route, then only promote products relevant to your niche. Trying to crowbar in links for vacuums or toys will only make your site look spammy and turn off potential readers.

Similarly, if you are going to vouch for these products then only promote products you’ve personally used and recommend. It is also worth including a disclaimer on your site as to not mislead your readers.

To get involved in affiliate marketing, you can join a popular program such as:

Paid Reviews

The subject of paid reviews is a minefield and should be trodden carefully. At no point should you accept money for a ‘positive’ review! However, if the payment is for a writing package, that includes:

An honest review (no guarantee it will be positive)

Minimum word count

link to company/shop/steam page

Specified turnaround time

Queue jumping

I love playing video games and I would play them all day, every day given the chance, but time means you need to prioritise. By accepting paid reviews, you can allow certain games (that you might have played anyway) to jump the queue.

Thankfully, I have never been offered a paid review, so I have avoided any moral issues that other bloggers have found themselves in. Most of the time, it’s just awesome to get a free game to play.

Sponsorships and Partnerships

As your brand builds you may look to approach brands to request partnership opportunities. In many cases, they will approach you. I know a number of bloggers and vloggers who were recently sent an Xbox One X in order to ‘encourage them’ to do more Xbox content. However, a lot of sponsored content is a two-way discussion between you and the marketing team to create something that appeals you your audience and yet mentions their products and services. The great thing about sponsorships is that you can be open about it to ensure both parties are transparent.

There are a number of places to start meeting brands online from dedicated PR companies to online groups.

Join sites such as:

BlogMeetsBrand

TheBloggerProgramme

Sponsored Tweets

Various Facebook Blogger groups

Banner Ads

Banner ads are just what they sound like. They’re Ads you place in the areas where you might usually have Google Ads (usually in your sidebar). The business sponsoring the ad will often pay you monthly to keep the ad up on your site. It’s more work to set up but the return is greater for smaller sites.

]]>Shortlisted in the UK Blog Awards!http://www.gamingdebugged.com/2018/01/01/shortlisted-uk-blog-awards/
Mon, 01 Jan 2018 22:15:44 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9985What a way to kick off 2018! On the 1st of January, I was thrilled to receive an email from the Team at the UK Blog Awards confirming that I was shortlisted in the Digital and Technology category. Despite thousands of entries Gaming Debugged managed to get into the final eight. All of this was […]

What a way to kick off 2018! On the 1st of January, I was thrilled to receive an email from the Team at the UK Blog Awards confirming that I was shortlisted in the Digital and Technology category.

Despite thousands of entries Gaming Debugged managed to get into the final eight. All of this was ONLY possible due to the public vote and I can’t thank you enough for helping out an old gamer in his time of need. Obviously, without its readership, the website would simply be a weird brain dump of list articles, reviews and features only enjoyed by myself.

After being ‘Highly Commended’ at the 2017 UK Blog Awards, I was eager to step up my game and create bigger/better content in order to come back stronger in the 2018 awards. However, it seems like everyone else had the same idea. The Digital and Technology category that Gaming Debugged is part of has some very stiff competition.

From 8-bit girls to 16-bit dads, all the websites have some great content and it’s easy to see why they were chosen. I can only hope that the judges find my content interesting, useful or entertaining.

Anyway, whatever happens now, I am still hugely stoked to be a finalist. Even if this is as far as I get, I am happy.

Thank you again for all of your support and I will be sure to feedback in April when I hit the big smoke for the Awards Ceremony.

]]>2017: A Year In Reviewhttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/12/30/2017-year-review/
Sat, 30 Dec 2017 19:44:27 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=99252017 got off to a fantastic start when Gaming Debugged was shortlist for a UK Blog Award. This boost was the catalyst I needed to drop other writing commitments in order to focus on what I truly loved. I tried to keep the content coming a frequently as I could making videos on gaming, game […]

2017 got off to a fantastic start when Gaming Debugged was shortlist for a UK Blog Award. This boost was the catalyst I needed to drop other writing commitments in order to focus on what I truly loved. I tried to keep the content coming a frequently as I could making videos on gaming, game development and later game blogging. Whilst my review and preview content didn’t perform as well as my features and how-to content, I continued on simply because I like playing video games. When April arrived, I was thrilled to get the ‘highly commended’ award at the UK Blog Awards.

If 2017 has taught me anything, it’s simply to do what you enjoy. If you love it, then eventually it will find an audience that loves it too. As I spent more time gaming, my passion for game development reared up and before I knew it I was back in the fold. During 2017, I joined the local ‘game dev meetup’ and enjoyed chewing the fat with like-minded developers which eventually led to being on the organising team for Game Anglia, the regions biggest game developer conference. Whilst event management wasn’t on my CV before, it is now. Game Anglia gave me the opportunity to meet many gaming legends such as John and Brenda Romero, as well as inspiring people from around the industry such as Liz Mercuri and Ben Tristem.

The event was well received and we already have speakers looking for slots in the 2018 event.

Outside of the event, I struggled to keep up with my game development and went back to basics to learn Blender 3D. A self-imposed 30-day challenge helped families myself with the program and once Game Anglia was over I was able to return to both blogging and game development (as well as my full-time job).

Being away from blogging (on Gaming Debugged anyway), helped me realise how much I missed it and prompted me to come back stronger. I re-entered the UK Blog Awards for 2018 and knuckled down to create some award-winning content.

With 2017 coming to a close, I’m looking back over a hugely positive year. Whilst my focus did shift away from blogging in order to organise the event, the subsequent content helps lift my gaming blog far above where it was twelve months ago. Bring on 2018.

]]>First Impressions: Defunct | Xbox Onehttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/12/19/first-impressions-defunct-xbox-one/
Tue, 19 Dec 2017 22:30:05 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9932Defunct follows the story of a damaged rolling robot accidentally flushed from of the mothership and left to frantically chase it across an alien planet filled with an array of alien robot life. Whilst our hero sits upon a pretty meaty looking tire, his broken engine means that he as fast a mobility scooter when […]

Defunct follows the story of a damaged rolling robot accidentally flushed from of the mothership and left to frantically chase it across an alien planet filled with an array of alien robot life.

Whilst our hero sits upon a pretty meaty looking tire, his broken engine means that he as fast a mobility scooter when he puts the pedal to the metal. Thankfully, Defunct has a gravity drive attached that means it can gather speed whilst going downhill if timed correctly. Combine this with an ability to magnetise itself ceiling panels means that he can also go upside-down.

The levels are sprawling open spaces filled with undulating hills, spaceship debris and booster pods that allow Defunct to zoom across the landscape in a similar fashion as Sonic 3D. Similarly, if Defunct get stopped in his tracks by a tree or other obstacle, it can take a moment to find your flow again, like Sonic. However, once you have familiarised yourself with the controls there are moments of real joy when you are racing up and down the swells building speed with your gravity drive, catching rides on zip lines, bouncing off walls and launching off cliffs. There is also something of a ‘skateboarding’ element to Defunct as you find yourself using bowls and hills to pick up speed in order to reach some of the hard to reach areas of the maps.

However, there will be many times where you will crash face-first into a rock, tree or spaceship hull and be treated to some screen tearing and shonky camera angles, reminding you that this is an indie game after all. Yet, due to the low price point, its high-score orientated replayability and overall brevity, most players will be happy to overlook to early Xbox 360 style graphics and just enjoy the 2-hour playtime and feel what an open-world Sonic might feel like.

Overall, Defunct will appeal to both younger and old players, as well as the speedrunner community as it’s all about speed. The sounds and visuals are simple yet effective and there are moments of greatness, however, the game is short so value for money will need to be found in seeking out the hidden collectables and rerunning the levels for the fastest speed.

]]>Video Game Blogging Guide | Part 3: Sharing Your Contenthttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/12/19/video-game-blogging-guide-part-3-sharing-your-content/
Tue, 19 Dec 2017 21:30:56 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9905Sharing your thoughts, hobbies and dreams on your blog may be therapeutic for you, but if no one reads it, or engages with it, then it can be kind of sad. In the beginning, you might find that hardly anyone reads your blog posts and less find your content in organic search (on Google). Once […]

Sharing your thoughts, hobbies and dreams on your blog may be therapeutic for you, but if no one reads it, or engages with it, then it can be kind of sad. In the beginning, you might find that hardly anyone reads your blog posts and less find your content in organic search (on Google). Once you have crafted your beautiful posts, had them proofed and spell checked, then you are ready to release them into the wild.

Choose the Networks That Complement Your Content

There are so many social networks to choose from. The big five of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Pinterest may have the user base, but new and emerging channels such as Periscope or LikeMind might be more suited to your niche. Once joined, don’t expect amazing results overnight, as growing an audience takes time. Some of the more popular channels with gamers are Reddit, Discord, Steam and Twitch. However, forums such as Neogaf and apps like Leaping Tiger are also worth looking at. Similarly, if you have gone to the effort of writing a blog post, it can be straightforward to make it into a video for YouTube.

Scheduling Posts to Support Your Natural Stream

Social media management and community building can be a full-time job, so it’s wise to automate and schedule some of your social media activity. Software such as Later and Buffer allows you to pre-prepare a series of tweets and posts and schedule them to go out when your audience is online. The analytics on Buffer also allows you to see which posts are most popular so can reschedule them for later dates. Similarly, live posts can be sent all various social media channels using IFTTT (if that, then this) which will take your Instagram post and post it as a native Twitter photo and tweet. IFTTT has a multitude of recipes that link all sorts of apps together allowing you to auto-respond to new followers to adding photos to a Google Drive.

For those with deeper pockets, you can try software such as Edgar that actually selects and posts to your social media channels for you. Edgar not only allows you to schedule specific posts, but can actively pick previous posts, and re-post tweets from designated accounts giving you a great mix of self-promotion and industry aggregation.

Timing is Everything

Due to having a large proportion of my audience in the US, I schedule posts that will go out when they are up and checking their phone. Look at your audience and see how your social media can align with their browsing habits.

Don’t Forget to be Natural

Scheduling is great to re-posting your best content, posting a key times (see #IndieDevHour later) and ensuring that you are constantly active, but don’t forget to post naturally as well to be sure that you are responding to comments, likes and questions. If people believe there is a real person behind the avatar, they are more likely to engage with you.

Join The Club – Join Groups

Facebook (and Google+) groups are a great source of niche audiences from indie gamers to other game bloggers. Not only can you share your posts with an engaged target audience but you can see the direct feedback in the comments allowing you to improve. However, it’s worth growing a thick skin and letting any negativity wash over you. Getting into arguments or using unsuitable language will either get you banned from the group or upset your target audience. Do not feed the trolls.

Use Hashtags

On Instagram (and to a certain extend Twitter), hashtags are vitally important in getting your content found. Find out what hashtags resonate with your audience and be sure to include #videogames #gaming #indiegames and many of the other ‘common-sense’ terms. #IndieDevHour is on Tuesday between 7pm-8pm GMT and enjoys a huge following so if you blog is related to indie games, this is essential. For more general posts you could always try the daly tags such as #MondayMotivation #TuesdayTips #WednesdayWisdom #ThrowbackThursday, #FridayFun and #ScreenshotSaturday.

Follower Apps

As you share your content, you’ll find your follower figures grow and whilst it is the decent thing to follow them back, you also need to make sure they are not ‘bots’ that unfollow you days later. Use Unfollower apps to see who has recently unfollowed you and if you are not interested in their content, then cut your ties as there is no point following 5000 people and have 50 people follow you. Your feed will become useless and uninteresting. Ultimately, you want your social feeds to show you content that actually interests and inspires you.

Follow and Engage

Social channels are meant to be just that ‘social’, so if you don’t engage with your audience (or potential audience), you will be doomed to be alone. Use FollowerWonk and Twitter Lists to find people to that are relevant and follow them. Like their posts, comment on there updates and when people start to reply, make sure you keep the conversation going. If people think you are approachable, they will approach you, support you and eventually sing your praises.

]]>Video Game Blogging Guide | Part 2: Creating Contenthttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/12/18/video-game-blogging-guide-part-2-content/
Mon, 18 Dec 2017 18:59:28 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9910If you are looking into starting a blog, then it’s likely that you have something to say, an opinion to give or something to push. Game reviewers want to share their opinion, industry professionals want to discuss the topic and game developers want to generate interest and build up their brand. Whatever your agenda, here […]

If you are looking into starting a blog, then it’s likely that you have something to say, an opinion to give or something to push. Game reviewers want to share their opinion, industry professionals want to discuss the topic and game developers want to generate interest and build up their brand. Whatever your agenda, here are some important considerations:

Do It For You

First and foremost, do it for yourself. Write about topics you are interested in as you will need to produce A LOT of content before you grow your audience, as well as gain the attention of any brands or marketing companies. Writing about things you enjoy and are passionate about is much easier than tackling obscure topics you are unfamiliar with and might find boring.

Try To Specialise (a little)

Later down the line, write for your audience. Whilst this may sound like it contradicts the first point, it means writing for your audience whilst staying within your passion. One of the reasons a lot of bloggers struggle to publish content regularly is because they haven’t taken the time to identify their audience. I’ve made this mistake with several blogs and know the frustrating feeling all too well. My gaming blog mixes children’s games with sexy game characters, which makes it hard to readers to know where I sit when it comes to content. After realising that my Xbox One content was more popular than my Mac gaming, I shifted my focused to appeal to my audience.

Understand Your Audience

Once you have defined who you are writing for, its useful to research what they like, who they identify with, interests and hobbies they enjoy and the kind of content they might enjoy. Artists may want step-by-step instructions, certain gamers might want content on specific games or genres and developers might want simple guide articles for use on the go. Creativity loves constraints, so by identifying your audience and writing just for them, your blog will start to look focused and professional.

Over 400 Words

Whilst you should mix long and short form posts depending on the article, for search engines to properly index your content you should aim for 400 words or more. Less than that and you run the risk of Google bypassing your post on the grounds that it is ‘light content’. Similarly, I would recommend that you ‘go deep and not wide’. Having detailed content about a specific topic is sometimes more useful than having a light overview of lots of topics.

Images

When adding images to your blog posts be sure to add names, descriptions and alt tags as these count towards your keyword density and help you appear in Google images. Most video game studios have a press page that has an array of game images and videos that they prefer you to use. If you do not have a suitable image (such as one on game blogging) you can check for royalty free images on Flickr (but most require a credit link) or use allthefreestock.com, pexels.com or Unsplash.com as they list lots of places where you can get free photography. If you have some art software skills, I would also recommend adding one image with text on for social media. When you or others share you post it has an image with more text on your draw people in. For those with no art skills try Canva.com

Proof Your Work

This is one that I am terrible at. I tend to write and then post immediately and my articles are full of problems. Thankfully, when producing videos I am forced to read out my articles. This highlights many of the errors, so I can correct them in the written post. Try and re-read what you have written (aloud helps), or ask a friend to look at it before you post. This way your work will be easier to read and people will come back for more. If the idea of going back to previous posts to check for errors sounds daunting, use Google Analytics to see a list of your most popular posts and start there. See Part 4: Review and Renew.

Frequency

If you want to build an audience then the frequency is key. No one will check back if you post erratically. By staying consistent then your audience know when to expect the next instalment even if it’s a monthly post. It also helps you plan a content calendar and brainstorm ideas for the future. Similarly, if you are suddenly hit with inspiration and knock out four articles in an afternoon, try and hold some back in order to cover times when you can’t post on a schedule. Whether it’s daily, weekly or monthly, consistency is good for you, good for your readers and good for Google.

Takeaways:

Content

Do it for you, first and foremost

Try to specialise (a little)

Understand your audience

Alt tag your images

create images with titles (for social media)

Over 400 words (but mix long and short posts)

Proof your work

Frequency

Scheduling

Hold Some Back

Be consistent

So now you have started producing lots of lovely content on your website it’s time to share it.

]]>Video Game Blogging Guide | Part 1: The Set Uphttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/12/17/video-game-blogging-guide-part-1-the-set-up/
Sun, 17 Dec 2017 16:01:46 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9908There are many ways to start a blog for free. WordPress, Blogger, Square Space, Ghost all have free options where you can have a domain such as YourName.Wordpress.com and whilst this is good for fairweather bloggers looking to keep a diary there are very few high traffic bloggers who use a hosted solution. If you […]

There are many ways to start a blog for free. WordPress, Blogger, Square Space, Ghost all have free options where you can have a domain such as YourName.Wordpress.com and whilst this is good for fairweather bloggers looking to keep a diary there are very few high traffic bloggers who use a hosted solution. If you are serious then you need to take the self-hosted option where you get a domain and hosting, have your blog platform installed and get started. This will give you much more freedom in the long run and you can start building both brand equity and search engine ranking. I am going to be talking specifically about WordPress in this video series as I feel it is the best solution at present.

Quick Plug: If you need to set up a WordPress blog then please get in touch with me as I can help you set up and give you some free hosting to get you started.

WordPress has a tonne of features, additional themes or skins and more plugins than you can shake a stick at. Features include being able to create page and posts, scheduling, categorising, tagging, image galleries and so much more. It’s easy to use and can be upgraded easily.

Themes are templates that can be added to WordPress easily in order to change the look and feel of it. If you are a fashion blogger you might like a more photo-focused theme whereas others may prefer more text, video support etc.

Plugins refer to add-ons that can give you blog more functionality; these can include comment systems, payment gateways, SEO tools and social media sharing.

Themes and Skins

Changing the look of your website is easy when using themes. There are a lot of free themes out there, but I would recommend buying one. Free themes are an easy way to add malicious code to your website. Hackers can create free themes with backdoors in so they can steal user details from your website and insert backlinks to sites of their choosing. If you visit woothemes.com or my favourite ThemeForest.net then you can pick up a fantastic theme for $75 which usually has premium plugins included. Here is a list of video game related themes to start you search.

Essential Plugins

I have added a list of plugins below that are the basics that nearly all blogs should have (at the time of writing, these were good):

Plugins

SEO by Yoast (Yoast)

Media Library Alt Fields (Jarret Cade)

Shareaholic Share Buttons (Shareaholic)

WP To Buffer (WP Cube)

Disqus Comment System

Rel NoFollow Checkbox (Fabio Santos)

Schema Data

SEO by Yoast

This is a powerful SEO plugin that allows you to customise the page title, description and social sharing information on each and every post. If you want your content to be found in search engines then this is a good starter tool. It also has a traffic light system so if you want your article to be found for ‘New Halo Maps’ then you simply add it to the plugin and it tells you whether it is in your title, description and copy. If it is not present then it’s a red light, whereas if your post is littered with that term then you get the green light.

Media Library Alt Fields

As a matter of course you should be adding alt tags to all images when you upload them but life doesn’t always work out that way. This plugin adds a handy field next to images in the media library where you can quickly add and save alt tags for all your images. This again, is great for search engines.

Shareaholic Share Buttons

Social Media is one of the best ways to get your content out into the wild and this plugin gives you a plethora of social media options so people can Tweet, Pin, Reddit, Yammer or Heart it (there are almost 100 options to choose from). The share bar can be styled to your liking and you can show up around 10 main networks and a pop up for the other 90.

WP To Buffer (WP Cube)

Buffer is a social media scheduling tool that allows you to add lots of posts into a ‘buffer’ and at pre-set times of the day they are posted meaning you don’t have to spend the day looking and social networks. WP To Buffer allows you to compose you social post at the same time as writing the article and once published it send the social post to your buffer for posting which is useful if you are writing at midnight like me.

Disqus Comment System

Disqus is a third-party comment system. The WordPress one is ok but it can be abused easily. Disqus allows people to sign in with their social media profiles in order to post a comment. It’s more secure, easier to manage and makes it easier for users to comment on your posts.

Rel NoFollow Checkbox

Once you have a small following you might get approached to do sponsored content. This is when a brand wants to feature on your website. Google guidelines state that links from such content such be ‘nofollowed’, which stops Google link equity being passed from your site to theirs. This plugin adds a checkbox to the ‘add link’ function to it adds the necessary code to the links you add.

Schema Data

Basically, Schema data is code to help Google better define content on your website. It can be wrapped around brand names, contain addresses and let Google know that your latest post is a review article, written by you and given 5 stars. This plugin helps you add this data to each post you write.

EWWW Optimizer

The EWWW Image Optimizer plugin will increase your page speeds by optimising your images as you upload them. EWWW can also optimise all the images that you have already uploaded, and optionally convert your images to the best file format. You can choose pixel perfect compression or high compression options that are visually lossless. Very handy.

]]>Video Game Blogging Guide | Introductionhttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/12/16/video-game-blogging-guide-introduction/
Sat, 16 Dec 2017 17:00:51 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9906Welcome to my blog series that looks at video game blogging. Whilst this is a little ‘Inception-like’, it is something I have experience with as I have tried and tested various methods, techniques and supposed short-cuts to success. Where I have failed, I have learned and all that lovely knowledge is ready to be shared with you. Why […]

Welcome to my blog series that looks at video game blogging. Whilst this is a little ‘Inception-like’, it is something I have experience with as I have tried and tested various methods, techniques and supposed short-cuts to success. Where I have failed, I have learned and all that lovely knowledge is ready to be shared with you.

Why Blog

First off, let’s start on planet realism and work our way up.

Blogging will not make you a millionaire, it will not make you a star and it does not make you a journalist. Blogging is sticking a flag in your own little corner of the internet and saying ‘this is me, my love, my passion, my stress and my life’. Blogging is a fantastic outlet for voicing your thoughts, opinions and stress. A place where you can share your passions, creations and hobbies and after some time, effort, money, promotional, blood, sweat and tears you might find yourself with a following, an audience or even customer base.

In this series, I am sharing with you a myriad of hints, tips and stories about my blogging exploits, in order to give you the insights that I wish I had back when I was starting out.

]]>Game Jams to World Records | Jupiter Hadley Interviewhttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/12/15/game-jams-to-world-records-jupiter-hadley-interview/
Fri, 15 Dec 2017 06:49:11 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9900With Game Anglia now a warm and fuzzy memory, I have had some time to gather some of the fantastic footage from the day and start editing it together into something wonderful. Over the next few weeks I will release the various interviews before the days presentations hit the digital airwaves. Jupiter Hadley Interview I caught up with […]

With Game Anglia now a warm and fuzzy memory, I have had some time to gather some of the fantastic footage from the day and start editing it together into something wonderful. Over the next few weeks I will release the various interviews before the days presentations hit the digital airwaves.

Jupiter Hadley Interview

I caught up with the amazing Jupiter Hadley at Game Anglia in the UK and quizzed her about all things gaming.

We discussed game jams, indie gaming and her world record attempt to play the most video games by a single person ever! You’ll have to watch the interview to find out if she succeeded.

Who is Jupiter Hadley

Below is Jupiter Hadley’s Bio, ruthlessly stolen from her website:

My name is Jupiter Hadley and I am a person who loves indie games. Over the years I have been addicted to Neopets, Minecraft (had a server there for a while), Team Fortress 2, and Portal 2. I have a love for indie games, especially game jams. A pet peeve of mine is for games to not have arrow key control and not be windowed. I tend to record most of the indie games that I love on YouTube and even write about them on Fireside and AlphaBetaGamer but you can find some of my old articles on Shoddypixels.com and Indielicious.com. I really love playing all the games in game jams and attempt to record all of the entries. From time to time I attempt to try and make little games (or just game making tutorials) using Game Maker.

I am a huge fan of Jupiter after watching her videos and meeting her at various video game events. I was thrilled to be able to get some time to really understand more about what she does, why she does it and what drives her to play so many games.

]]>Family Friendly Couch Co-op Games To Play This Christmashttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/12/11/family-friendly-couch-co-op-games-play-christmas/
Mon, 11 Dec 2017 22:42:47 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9888Christmas is one of those odd times in the year when video games seem to cross generational boundaries. Activities that might have been shrugged off in the past, are suddenly perfectly acceptable. Grandads freely comment on Call of Duty, Nan’s hit the virtual dance floor and siblings take up a controller for some head-to-head action. […]

Christmas is one of those odd times in the year when video games seem to cross generational boundaries. Activities that might have been shrugged off in the past, are suddenly perfectly acceptable. Grandads freely comment on Call of Duty, Nan’s hit the virtual dance floor and siblings take up a controller for some head-to-head action.

When playing video games with family members during the festive period, there is a lovely understanding that gaming together isn’t about completing the game or even getting the high score, but simply playing together. Sure, there will be arguments, calls of unfairness and even the odd thrown controller, but that’s all part of Christmas, isn’t it?

The Xbox One has a huge library of couch co-op games to enjoy, from mind-bending puzzles to football with cars. So this Christmas, take some time with your family and boot up the big black beast.

Overcooked

This frantic four-player cooking game is so much fun and you will find yourself screaming at family members to get the dishes done. Its simple to understand but hard to master and thanks to most of the gameplay staying on one screen it is easier for the older generation to follow.

Rocket League

Think football with cars and then add in stunts, precision controls and a bucket load of fun and you have the biggest hit of the year.

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2

This quirky third-person shooter is one of the most ‘child-friendly’ shooters on the Xbox One. Everyone will love the over the top characters and cartoon violence.

Rayman Legends

Crazy characters and solid platforming action make Rayman a great choice for Christmas Day, whether you are working together to complete the zany musical levels for versing each other in Rayman’s weird take on football, it is loads of fun.

Castle Crashes

Old-skool side scrolling beat-em-up with colourful cartoon characters and an array of madcap oversized bosses to defeat. Four players action that even grandad can play.

The Lego Games \ Lego Dimensions

Pick your franchise and enjoy a two-player adventure to enjoy with family members. The Lego games include Star Wars, Marvel superheroes, Batman, Indiana Jones and many more.

Minecraft: Xbox One Edition

There is something soothing about building in Minecraft. Bond with family members this Christmas and create something wonderful together.

Tumblestone

Up to four players can play this addictive and colourful puzzle game inspired by both Pang and Tetris. Aside from the competitive play, there is also an engaging story mode that can be enjoyed.

Goat Simulator

Leave your common sense at the door as Goat Simulator is the most bonkers game you will play this Christmas. You and a friend can tear up the streets inflating your head, blowing up stuff that doesn’t usually explode and so much more weird and wonderful things.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2

This is the more grown-up version of the Lego Marvel Super Heroes game with more accurate depictions of all your favourite superheroes and stories taken from the comics. However, it does contain much more violence than its Lego counterpart.

Just Dance 2014-18

Christmas wouldn’t be the same in our house with a dance-off against the children. The Just Dance series on the Xbox One is the best version of the game as players with a Kinect sensor do not need a controller and can simply concentrate on the dancing. Those with a Kinect can use their phones as a makeshift tracker.

]]>The UK Blog Awards 2018 – Please Vote!http://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/12/05/the-uk-blog-award-2018-please-vote/
Tue, 05 Dec 2017 21:55:32 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9873The U.K. blog Awards is on its way and yet again I need to beg for your help. Last year, Gaming Debugged gained the ‘highly commended’ award and just missed the top spot by a hair and a freckle. However, this year has been a busy year and I have created a tonne of content […]

The U.K. blog Awards is on its way and yet again I need to beg for your help.

Last year, Gaming Debugged gained the ‘highly commended’ award and just missed the top spot by a hair and a freckle. However, this year has been a busy year and I have created a tonne of content all around video games. From game previews and first impressions to helpful features on game development, this year has been a busy one.

To top it all off, I was part of the organising group for Game Anglia, the East of England’s biggest game developer conference with a plethora of well-known speakers from the world of game development.

Anything you can do to help me achieve my dream of becoming an award-winning game blogger is greatly appreciated.

Click this link below and add your email to vote. It really is that simple.

]]>5 Great Udemy Courses For New Game Developershttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/11/14/5-great-udemy-courses-new-game-developers/
Tue, 14 Nov 2017 21:57:21 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9879It’s never too late to learn a new skill and some of the most successful people in the world live to learn. For a lot of people, game development was a magical art practised in Japan, which produced games for arcades and home consoles. Colleges were lucky to have ‘media studies’ and the idea of […]

It’s never too late to learn a new skill and some of the most successful people in the world live to learn. For a lot of people, game development was a magical art practised in Japan, which produced games for arcades and home consoles. Colleges were lucky to have ‘media studies’ and the idea of video game design was laughed at. And yet here we are, years later and the video game industry has surpassed both the music and film industry in terms of sales and growth.

So, if you have missed the boat on getting a University degree in game design or development, never fear, as here are five fantastic Udemy courses for budding game designers and developers.

The Ultimate Guide to Game Development with Unity

Created by Jonathan Weinberger and Unity Technologies
https://www.udemy.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-game-development-with-unity/
156 lectures but only 12 hours

The Unreal Engine Developer Course – Learn C++ & Make Games

Whether you are looking to code in 2D or 3D or use a drag and drop engine or get down and dirty with code, Udemy is a great resource to start you on your game dev journey. My only advice is to finish a course. Many offer certification and rewards for finishing and it’s great for your mental well being to start and finish a course. Many a time I would start a course, learn something new and then spend weeks messing around with my new skill and lose my way. By completing a course you can equip yourself with the skills to do many things and mess around for a whole lot longer.

I was lucky enough to interview Ben Tristem from GamDev.Tv , and one of the top teachers at Udemy and you can check out my interview here.

]]>Review: Figment | Steamhttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/11/13/review-figment-steam/
Sun, 12 Nov 2017 23:14:44 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9864Starting with a car crash on a stormy night that is only heard, not seen, the opening scene is akin to John Wayne’s iconic movie, the searchers. Dusty, a long since retired hero sits upon a rocking chair on the porch of his ramshackle old house when Piper, an energetic and peppy bird comes to […]

Starting with a car crash on a stormy night that is only heard, not seen, the opening scene is akin to John Wayne’s iconic movie, the searchers. Dusty, a long since retired hero sits upon a rocking chair on the porch of his ramshackle old house when Piper, an energetic and peppy bird comes to ask for help. The Nightmares had returned and it was time for Dusty to save the day once again. Begrudgingly, the grizzled hero sets off on an adventure, not to save the world but to get a stiff drink and his recently stolen scrapbook.

The visuals of Figment are simply stunning with hand-painted surrealist backdrops and colourful creatures throughout. If Salvador Dali made games, this is what you might expect. However, the wonder doesn’t end with the graphics. Each of the weirdly wonderful trumpet flowers and bug bridges have a cavalcade of sounds and noises. These sounds and voices are all backed by happy yet ethereal music that suits the aesthetic to a tee. This is until you face a boss battle and it suddenly goes into a full musical number in which the bosses sing at you before going into battle. It is amazing!

The adventure takes Dusty and Piper to both sides of the brain in a quest to restore the courage that has been lost.

The puzzles are a mix of isolated logic puzzles such as using a bashing vine to smash nuts in order to collect their nuts, to sequenced puzzles that require Figment to use objects to activate objects, that open an area, where you can turn a wheel, which opens a pipe, where you can push a button etc. You get the idea. When playing Figment, its advisable to play in large chunks as taking any extended breaks mid-sequence may be confusing.

Those looking for replayability can go back to collect the various ‘Remembranes’ and other collectables but after a five-hour playtime, I was happy to have just enjoyed the story. Players eager to have Zelda-Esqe battles and action may find Figment a little lacklustre in comparison but younger players will love the pace and gentleness of the experience.

Overall, Figment oozes charm from every pixel. The colourful characters, quirky puzzles and surreal level design all support the central theme of being inside a child’s mind without forcing it down your thought. Figment is a masterclass in subtlety and style and another knockout game from bedtime games.

]]>Review: Little Nightmares | Xbox Onehttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/10/30/review-little-nightmares-xbox-one/
Mon, 30 Oct 2017 22:59:09 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9857Every so often a game comes along that a mere screenshot can give you goosebumps. Whilst many scary games rely on jump scares or tension building, Little nightmares just looks horrific from start to finish. However, it doesn’t do it with blood, gore or monsters, it simply traps a lost little girl inside a place […]

Every so often a game comes along that a mere screenshot can give you goosebumps. Whilst many scary games rely on jump scares or tension building, Little nightmares just looks horrific from start to finish. However, it doesn’t do it with blood, gore or monsters, it simply traps a lost little girl inside a place in which everything looks and feels wrong.

I originally played little Nightmares at EGX Rezzed a couple of years ago and was mesmerized by the haunting graphics. The claymation style characters and horrifyingly beautiful set pieces were enthralling. In the middle of it all, a hooded little girl called six who wakes up deep in the ‘Maw’, a floating hell hole that set sail from Silent Hill.

The enemies make up the majority of the narrative set pieces and you will find yourselves being chased by Mr Tickles creepy uncle and sneaking past Bulbous chefs only found in the dodgiest backwater pubs. Enemies only seek to chase and catch you before it fades to black and you wake up with a start at the last saved checkpoint. The enemy encounters are broken up with simple puzzles, platform traversal and eerie environmental storytelling.

At around five hours, the game doesn’t overstay it’s welcome and additional DLC is available for those wanting to dig deeper into the unsettling world of the ‘Maw’. However, after feeling quite content with my playthrough, I was happy to sing its praises.

Overall, Little Nightmares is a beautifully horrifying experience with no direct story apart from you needing to escape. However, this lack of hand-holding gives players the chance to make their own decisions on what is going on. Whilst some might be frustrated about not having their suspicions confirmed, many will simply enjoy the experience to its final conclusion. For those eager for more information about the sinister world of Little Nightmares, there is an associated comic book series and there is also a TV show in the works.

So if you are looking for a tense, horror adventure without all the blood, guts and jump scares then delve into the depths of the mysterious ‘Maw’ and help six escape her captors.

]]>Game Anglia Launches November 18thhttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/10/28/game-anglia/
Sat, 28 Oct 2017 21:26:16 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9850Game Anglia – The East Of England’s Biggest Game Development Conference This November 250 Budding Game Developers Descend on Suffolk Waterfront on November 18th. Monsters, mining and virtual woodland creatures are all on the agenda on November 18th, as the game development community flock to Ipswich for Game Anglia, the biggest game developer conference to […]

Game Anglia – The East Of England’s Biggest Game Development Conference This November

250 Budding Game Developers Descend on Suffolk Waterfront on November 18th.

Monsters, mining and virtual woodland creatures are all on the agenda on November 18th, as the game development community flock to Ipswich for Game Anglia, the biggest game developer conference to be held in the region.

For almost ten years the University of Suffolk has been nurturing local talent into some of the world’s best game developers. These students have gone on to work for such companies as EA, Sony, Sumo Digital and Playground Games.

According to data from UKIE (The Association of UK Interactive Entertainment), the East of England is said to have over 150 independent games companies, making it one of the fastest growing sectors in the area. Game Anglia aims to bring together aspiring game developers, growing companies and established studios for a day of talks, demonstrations and video gaming fun.

The talks kick off at 10 am with BAFTA award-winning Brenda Romero, game developer and industry pioneer and closes with a friendly question and answer session with John Romero. John was a founding member of ID Software, the creators of such games as Wolfenstein, Doom and Quake. Throughout the day, experts from around the world will cover a range of topics from turning game jam submissions into fully realised games, all the way to final user testing.

Aside from the talks, the conference will also showcase a multitude of indie titles from mobile games to virtual reality. Visitors can play, leave feedback and vote on their favourites from the day, as well as meet local studios and mingle with like-minded gamers. Those interested in attending, showcasing or sponsoring the event can get in touch with the Game Anglia team at http://www.gameanglia.co.uk or email hello@gameanglia.com.

The event will be hosted at the newly refurbished Atrium Building at the University of Suffolk and run until 6 pm on the 18th November. Parking is available at the University of Suffolk car park and will be free to visitors of the event. Prices range from £15 for students to £95 for VIP tickets, that include an after party with many of the gaming legends from the day.

Sketchbook Games director and industry veteran Mark Backler said “There are a lot of game developers in East Anglia but there seem to be lots of disparate groups. We want to try and bring everyone together and help strengthen the games industry and community in the region”.

]]>Free Game Development Tools For Studentshttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/10/11/free-game-development-tools-students/
Wed, 11 Oct 2017 06:00:09 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9834Creating a game used to require excellent programming knowledge, but these days there are several game development tools which do not need coding. Using graphical user interfaces, drag and drop level editors, and event systems to layout behaviours and add special effects students can dip their toes into game development long before knowing how to code. The following […]

Creating a game used to require excellent programming knowledge, but these days there are several game development tools which do not need coding. Using graphical user interfaces, drag and drop level editors, and event systems to layout behaviours and add special effects students can dip their toes into game development long before knowing how to code. The following are just a handful of free tools for beginners to get started. For more advanced tools please see my video on advanced tools for game development.

GameSalad

This tool allows a developer to create a game quickly and easily without writing a line of code. Features include:

Wide behavior library

Visual drag and drop interface

Integrated physics engine

The behaviour library allows a developer to create the actions that he prefers from a library of advanced and basic game behaviours. Students can use simple logic to determine the actions and behaviours of game objects. For example, if you wanted to make a player graphic move left on the press of a button, users need only drag the behaviour onto the button.

The free version of GameSalad allows creating, previewing and publishing games to the iOS and web platform. The pro version allows monetizing the game and publishing it to Windows 8 and Google Play Store.

Stencyl

Stencyl offers a wonderful toolset and vast platform support. It does not require coding and it has an excellent drag and drop interface that is inspired by MIT Scratch project. Developers remodeled MIT’s project through adding other features. Code blocks dragging and dropping has never been this simple.

The software allows innovative game developers to write code, import libraries and develop their own games. They can also build worlds and design scenes with the software’s nifty Scene Designer. Apart from the world editor, there is an Actor editor. This is a tool that allows one to create NPCs and characters and alter their look and behaviour. With Stencyl one can create wonderful games like slot machine online 2017.

Stencyl Basic allows creation and publishing of games to their site. Publishing a game to Windows, iOS, Google Play and Mac requires one to pay 199 dollars per year.

GameMaker: Studio

This is the widely used tool for both newbies and professional developers that can create beautiful 2D games assisted by its built-in script library (game creator language). Developers can import character sprites, animations and fonts and thanks to a large community of artists and developers, there are a plethora of resources available online.

GameMaker can produce solid, high-quality physics-based games with the help of its Box2D physics engine and shader effects.

Its export modules let developers create a game and several executables that can be exported to several platforms by just pressing a button.

FlowLab

This tool allows budding developers to create iOS and browser games directly in the browser itself. It has every tool that a student would need and since the toolset is kept online developers can share their games easily.

FlowLab has a unique programming that allows the user to connect behaviours in order to come up with a refined game logic. It also contains built-in drawing and animation tools that let users create animations, characters and NPCs.

The free version of FlowLab contains fifty objects and five levels and it allows users to create three games only. Its pro version has unlimited levels and objects and it allows the creation of an unlimited number of games. It also allows publishing games to iTunes.

Sploder

This is an online tool that allows amateurs to develop web games with several toolsets. Users can create space adventures, arcade games, shooters or platformers. Every genre has its own tools and there is a physics game developer for developing physics-based games. There is also a graphics editor for creating pixelated characters.

Sploder allows publishing games to the site to have them rated by others.

The Choice is Yours

It is worth trying out the different programs and creating a simple game in each. This way you can get a feel for the engine, it’s behaviours and pick the one that suits your skill set. Either way, these will give you a taste of game design and development that can lead to more advanced programs and a career in game creation.

]]>13 Indie Games at EGX to get Excited Abouthttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/10/09/13-indie-games-egx/
Mon, 09 Oct 2017 20:47:26 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9795As always, there were so many games to enjoy at EGX this year. Whilst it was great to play Battlefront 2, Mario Odyssey and Shadow of War in glorious 4K, my favourite place was to be is knee deep in Indie games. This year did not disappoint as gamers could experience a myriad of games […]

As always, there were so many games to enjoy at EGX this year. Whilst it was great to play Battlefront 2, Mario Odyssey and Shadow of War in glorious 4K, my favourite place was to be is knee deep in Indie games.

This year did not disappoint as gamers could experience a myriad of games from some of the most creative indies on the planet. Here are just ten of my favourites.

Forgotten Anne

Forgotten Anne blew me away at EGX, the sheer beauty of the art style, smooth animation and seamless transitions from game to cutscene just made the whole experience feel like being in a beautiful anime cartoon. Set in a magical world where everything that is lost and forgotten goes, you play Anne as she attempts to quash a rebellion that would send her back to the human realm.

Claws of Furry

Claws of Furry oozes classic arcade Beat’em up action with a healthy blend of Rogue-like elements. Choose between four fully customisable ninja cats as they punch and claw their way through fifty levels of pure mayhem. Players can hone their Ninja Cat skills, in order to rescue your Master from the evil claws of an unknown enemy. The painted art style and colourful characters are the purrfect accompaniment for the fast-paced co-op action.

Natures Zombie Apocalypse

Animals are the heroes in this quirky zombie shooter. Elephants with miniguns and sloths with flamethrowers are just a few of the crazy combinations available to take on the undead. Gaming with your friends has never been so much fun!

The Occupation

The stunning visuals are what first drew me to The Occupation. But on closer inspection, I became intrigued by the 1980’s setting, the non-violent political narrative and array of voice talent being used. The very British Bioshock focuses on the story of a whistle-blowing journalist as he tackles four hours of real-time action. Based on what you see and decide to print, can sway a new an controversial act in government and change the future of the country.

Deadbeat Heroes

Deadbeat Heroes is a Movement based 3D brawler set in the 1970’s where you (and a friend) dodge bullets and steal superpowers. As players have no superpowers, they use a special gauntlet to steal the powers from the supervillains. The low poly visuals and eye-bleeding colour palette give this an instant sense of fun and after bashing through baddies at EGX, I am eager for more.

Skye

Skye was the kind of game that instantly hit me as a potential for my yearly Xbox One games for Children feature. Its colourful graphics, relaxing soundtrack and lack of any death state make it perfect for both kids and adults looking to fly around helping people without the stress of difficulty levels or evil enemies to hinder your enjoyment. However, developers told me that due to another studio also calling their game Skye, they are now asking the Twittersphere for new names to avoid copyright issues. Either way, whatever its name turns out to be, it looks and plays really well.

Raging Justice

Raging Justice oozed retro charm and gave me tingles of nostalgia. This side-scrolling beat-em-up is an auld to the likes of Final Fight, Mercenary and classic arcade games such as X-Men, Ninja Turtles and The Simpsons. Raging Justice takes it story straight out of those 80’s action movie but adds an element of choice by allowing you to beat the assailants into submission or daze and arrest them adding a new element of strategy. At EGX Raging Justice was mounted inside its very own arcade cabinet where it looked particularly at home. Coming to an arcade near you ‘hopefully’.

Lost Words

Just when you think the side-scrolling adventure game has tried it all along comes lost words. Written by Rihanna Pratchett, who wrote the likes of Tomb Raider, this beautiful cartoon adventure sees the protagonist explore pages of a book before jumping into the words content. Puzzles are solved by collecting and using certain words to manipulate the environment from extinguishing fires to building bridges. Definitely, one to watch.

Phantom Halls

Luigi’s Mansion meets Until Dawn in this 2D ghost hunting game. A group of stereotypical low-poly protagonists roams around a haunted mansion in an attempt to survive the night, rescue lost friends and fight off hordes of monsters. Phantom Halls sees players take on the roles of multiple characters at once – with each character’s actions assigned to a different key. It’s a real-time Worms but with the procedurally generated chaos of Spelunky!

Figment

Journey into the mind and stop the nightmares in this psychedelic adventure game set deep within the sub-conscience. The visuals are stunning blending a hand-drawn art with the creativity of Salvador Dali. This game oozes charm out of every pore from the range of cute animations to the detailed boss characters found in each level. Released on Steam in late September, this game should be arriving on consoles some time at the end of November.

Black and White Bushido

Black and White Bushido is really hard to describe but I will give it my best. Bushido merges stealth action with multiplayer mayhem in this single screen puzzle brawler. Players are either light or shadow and are rendered invisible if they are on the same colour background or stand still. The levels have both light and shadow areas and players can either take over the opposing areas by killing players or collecting flags. It took a short time to understand the mechanics but once understood, you couldn’t get me off it.

Falling Sky

This student project looks stunning already with highly detailed scenes, a clutter-free UI and an interesting story to tell. Walking and investigating blends seamlessly with top-down driving

This student project looks stunning already with highly detailed scenes, a clutter-free UI and an interesting story to tell. Walking and investigating blends seamlessly with top-down driving gameplay and the voice acting has me intrigued. I am eager to playtest this game later in its development as the early footage is definitely turning heads.

So there you have it, just a mere smattering of the amazing games on show at EGX 2017. Did you go? What were your most memorable indie games?

]]>10 Twitch Accounts Worth Followinghttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/10/09/10-twitch-accounts-to-follow/
Mon, 09 Oct 2017 19:15:06 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9828If you love television you watch Netflix, if you love video games you watch Twitch. But with literally millions of people streaming every day, how do you pick the best streamer to watch? Well, rather than spending hours flicking through various streams to find one you want to watch, here are some recommendations for streamers […]

If you love television you watch Netflix, if you love video games you watch Twitch. But with literally millions of people streaming every day, how do you pick the best streamer to watch? Well, rather than spending hours flicking through various streams to find one you want to watch, here are some recommendations for streamers currently on Twitch:

Tsm_bjergsen

League of Legends is one of those games that we’d all love to be amazing at, but very few of us are. If you’re looking for tips, professional League of Legends player tsm_bjergsen has over 1.3million Twitch followers and plays for Team SoloMid as a mid laner. His streams tend to be the 21-year-old practicing for his upcoming tournaments.

Summit1g

If you love watching first-person shooters, then there are little better streamers that ex-competitive Counter-Strike player Summit1g. The 27-year-old is not only exceptionally talented at the games he plays, but his fun, comedic style makes him incredibly entertaining to watch. As well as CS:GO, expect Summit1g to play games such as Dark Souls 3 and Player Unknown Battlegrounds.

WildHungarian

WildHungarian aka Beata Jambrik is a professional poker player and partypoker ambassador who streams her poker games. Perfect for anyone who’s interested in seeing how a professional poker player thinks and acts during a game, Jambrik is also funny and entertaining to watch. You may even pick up a few pointers!

DrDisRespectLive

If you adore cheesy 80s action movies mixed in with your gaming, then DrDisRespect is an absolute must-follow. From his handlebar moustache and sunglasses to his brilliant use of green screen, DrDisRespect is perhaps the most entertaining streamer on Twitch right now. Mainly streaming first-person shooters, you’ll be constantly amazed at how well he aims with his ridiculous glasses on.

GamesDoneQuick

The GamesDoneQuick channel mixes game-watching with charity. The bi-annual event streams for 24 hours a day for a week and involves various streamers from around the globe who speedrun both retro and more modern games. Viewers can donate to the channel in order to be put in a raffle for prizes and it’s a great way to be introduced to different streamers and games.

GrandPOObear

If you love Mario, then you absolutely must follow GrandPOObear, who is one of the best Mario players in the world. As well as speedrunning retro Mario games, GrandPOObear is particularly famed for taking on the most extreme levels that users have created on Super Mario Maker.

GameJ06

GameJ06 – known as Big Jon – is an absolute must-follow for anyone who adores bad retro games. Playing everything from retro Barbie games to Mario Golf, Big Jon also creates his own gameshow-type games and graphics.

ManVsGame

If you’re looking to use Twitch to discover new games to play, then ManVsGame is the perfect stream. Determined to complete as many games as he possibly can – often on the hardest level – you’ll never quite know what he’s going to play. Even better, he’s brilliantly entertaining.

DanzNewz

DanzNewz is a fairly new Twitch streamer who is obsessed with Batman, an obsession that has seen his followers grow to over 200,000 in the last few months. Expect to see plenty of Batman games and trivia with a few random games in-between.

Nl_Kripp

If you enjoy Hearthstone, then seeing Kripp stream is essential viewing. Not only is Kripp a genius at the card game, but his friendly manner and ability to show the thinking behind all of his moves, makes his stream extremely educational to anyone who wants to become better at the game.

]]>Press X to Not Die Officially Releasedhttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/10/08/press-x-not-to-dies-officially-released/
Sun, 08 Oct 2017 19:48:34 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9823There was a short time when full motion video (FMV) was the future of gaming. I was racing around the sewers with my fully filmed co-pilot in sewer shark, hoping to catch a glimpse of a scantily clad teenager in the highly controversial Night Trap and shooting cowboys in Mad Dog McGee. Sadly, they were […]

There was a short time when full motion video (FMV) was the future of gaming. I was racing around the sewers with my fully filmed co-pilot in sewer shark, hoping to catch a glimpse of a scantily clad teenager in the highly controversial Night Trap and shooting cowboys in Mad Dog McGee. Sadly, they were all terrible and the style never caught on, despite gems such as Wing Commander 3 and Rebel Assault.

Since those early experimental days, some games have seen moderate success using FMV. Games such as command and conquer used it for cutscenes and more recently the indie hit ‘Her Story’ used video in a fantastic and engaging way. This seems to have lead to a slight resurgence in the medium. Press X to Not Die is just one title bringing back the medium for all to enjoy.

Press X to Not Die has been in early access for over 18 months and in that time has received a slew of positive reviews. This month sees its full official release with updated content and additional scenes.

The gameplay is a reaction based button pressing game, in which button prompts appear on the screen and pressing the correct buttons within the allotted time moves on the story. Failing to do so ends in death.

The acting is laughably poor, and yet it all seems to work well. The tongue-in-cheek dialogue, over the top actions and parody of gaming tropes actually give the game a light-hearted and pleasurable feel. In some ways, Press X to Not Die, was like playing through the Shaun of The Dead movie (but with a much lower budget). However, the game itself prefers to compare its story to M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘The Happening’ and then promptly criticises. The story revolves around a town gone mad, in which some people have turned into blood-thirsty psychopaths, others are simply death fodder and a small handful are able to survive thanks to the gamer at the controls, you.

At less than £2 to buy, this really is a fun ride worth experiencing. Press X to Not Die is a throwback to all those interactive movies of the 90’s and doesn’t take itself too seriously. A refreshing change from massive open worlds, running and gunning and building civilizations.

]]>Visual Storytelling in Gaminghttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/09/27/visual-storytelling-gaming/
Wed, 27 Sep 2017 12:38:48 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9784The father of fantasy, J. R. R. Tolkien, wanted to create a poetic legend that he felt England lacked. Mythology was the very structure of culture but is now a source of entertainment. From spoken word to film, from scripture to novel, from Beowulf to Baldur’s Gate we have seen the art of storytelling transcend […]

The father of fantasy, J. R. R. Tolkien, wanted to create a poetic legend that he felt England lacked. Mythology was the very structure of culture but is now a source of entertainment. From spoken word to film, from scripture to novel, from Beowulf to Baldur’s Gate we have seen the art of storytelling transcend through media. In video games, this craft has been massively expanded upon, but how? In this piece, I’ll be covering the role that art plays in conveying a story, the components of narrative design and the specific content that feeds into a living, breathing world.

Concept Art

A way to translate myths or legends into imagery, art plays just as important of a role in communicating a story. One of my favourite concept artists did this brilliantly for ArenaNet’s Guild Wars series – Daniel Dociu created the visual framework for the MMORPG. His vibrant and figurative landscapes set the tone that moved us through our quests. But he was not alone in this ability, in BioWare’s Dragon Age series we can see a plethora of beautiful imagery that tells a story; a mixture of graphic illustration and darkly romantic images can be found scattered across the game. With a talented team of artists working on this series, such as Matt Rhodes and Daphne Hutcheson, there are a variety of styles weaving the narrative tapestry. For me, it’s symbolic of the many voices of Thedas telling their version of the story. Overall, concept artists play a massive role in the construction of the story – Adam Adamowicz is a notable example. The creator of Fallout’s mascot Vault Boy, Adamowicz’s work added to the philosophical depth of Bethesda’s Fallout series – contrasting the 1950’s inspired propaganda with the harrowing post-apocalyptic fantasy to articulate the message. Having also worked on The Elder Scrolls series his talent hummed life into the high-fantasy poeticism of both Oblivion and Skyrim.

Symbolism

Where would storytelling be without its symbolism? From Battleship Potempkin’s runaway pram to the landmarks of Wuthering Heights, there is always a point to get across, hidden in clues and imagery. We can see this pattern in video games. When talking about symbolism, the Bioshock series comes to mind. In Bioshock: Infinite you might notice a series of posters depicting colonialist, Puritan propaganda in the style of Uncle Sam. In the first title, the environment is symbolic of capitalist devastation – an abandoned 1920’s city being submerged by the ocean it was built under. Whitney Clayton, the concept artist behind Compulsion Games’ We Happy Few, pumped the game full of symbolism depicting Herbert Marcuse’s One Dimensional Theory. Utilising the masks worn by NPCs, a garish colour scheme and a pinata turning into a rat before the player’s eyes.

Nothin’ but Art

There are games that rely solely on art and imagery to tell their story – such as Hyper Light Drifter. A visually stunning game with morbid undertones and a story being told through art alone. The design of which was brought to you by Alex Preston AKA HeartMachineZ. The player can encounter NPC’s that tell of events using nought but images, there are a collection of monoliths with a fictional alphabet that provides folklore or cryptic messages, and cutscenes provide no dialogue or clear explanation. This leaves the player to connect the dots and infer from context. I also want to mention the obscure trailers for Hideo Kojima’s masterpiece – Death Stranding. Since the game was announced last year, Kojima has provided little information about the game itself, but for two cryptic trailers and an article penned by Kojima on Rolling Stone’s website. The famed developer relies on imagery and song to hint at a story that utterly encapsulated his audience. Kojima says that: “We don’t need a game about dividing players between winners and losers, but about creating connections at a different level.” Many have put forth theories about the game that land in this area, so it’s clear that no words were necessary to get the message across. With examples like this, visual storytelling can be seen as a powerful tool.

Narrative Design

Moving on to the other end of the spectrum, we come to narrative design. Specifically, overall plot, quests and NPC relationships. There are a number of other aspects but we’ll get to a few of those later. As mentioned, the overall story or narrative of a game doesn’t always need language. But it helps. My top two favourite examples of this are Bethesda’s Fallout 4 and BioWare’s Dragon Age: Origins. First of all, the immense, like crazy immense, depth and detail flowing through the Fallout series, especially Fallout 4, is staggering. From subversive themes to the personal struggle of the lone survivor. There’s hardly a part of you that remains unscathed by the story.

Let’s start with the plot – we’re given a fairly classic story trope here, which some may not agree with for its simplicity. However, I feel that the stories surrounding it add enough complexity that a straightforward plot isn’t such a bad thing. There’s something absurdly real about your driven mission being caught amongst the drive of others. It reminds me that no matter how much of a protagonist we feel in our own lives (naturally), almost everyone around us feels the same way. This leads me into my next point – NPC relationships. This was done especially well in Fallout 4; adding Synths into the mix gave the appropriate contrast to make us really feel for the human race. But beyond that, being able to build your own outpost, hamlet or haven, your own community, that simplified the process whilst bringing warmth to the wasteland. The quests didn’t, for me at least, see much improvement, but that’s mostly because they’ve always worked well with the canon, so why change that? I did appreciate their reflection of the regional culture from the before-fore times. From the fairly on the nose ‘witch-hunt’ side quest to the Noir mystery-solving themes and conspiracies governed by major scientific conglomerates. Overall, Fallout 4’s story read as a hyper-vigilant commentary of American society both contemporary and historically.

My love of Dragon Age: Origin’s narrative comes from a different place. As mentioned, Tolkien once said that he wanted to create a poetic legend that he felt England lacked. For him, something was missing from mythology that drove him to invent his own. This kickstarted the Fantasy genre and has been a source of inspiration for countless others. I love the creativity that can be pulled from thin air, the romance that can be found in the earth, in water and in adventure. I love the trend of artists creating their own myths and legends. As such, I love BioWare’s first contribution to that.

The overall plot insisted that doom is inevitable in our world – represented through the darkspawn’s compulsion to seek out and corrupt a god into an apocalyptic force. Whilst reminding us that hope still exists, in the interludes between total destruction. At the forefront of this, they demonstrate how these periods of struggle facilitate personal growth, evidenced by the Grey Wardens shortening the reign of destruction each time. In regards to the character’s plot, what I enjoyed the most was the combination of humility and heroism in their journey. With fairly pedestrian beginnings they wind up with the charge of destroying an arch-demon. However, the NPC’s around them are so rich and dynamic that the glory doesn’t isn’t wholly thrust upon your character, it’s more shared. This not only allows your character to grow through others it’s also a humbling change that reminds us we’re not always the centre of the universe.

If there’s one thing BioWare do well, it’s character study. This is why the protagonist-NPC relationships were so engaging. While many games had already incorporated a romance option, Dragon Age: Origins made this an equally important part of the story. Overall, it’s the varied relationships that you build and, toward the end, I always felt like my party was more of a family. It was a game that really made you cherish the involvement others had in your character’s story. Finally, the quests. BioWare did a good job of catering to their players, similar to guilds in The Elder Scrolls, Dragon Age: Origins had missions catering to different classes. All of which, from the very simple gathering quests to the more eventful demon battles, flowed back into the expansive universe. Through which, BioWare put their own, personal stamp on the fantasy genre.

Literature

Looking at the literary details, however, I feel that there are better examples. My top two picks would be The Elder Scrolls saga and the Amnesia series. I remember playing Skyrim for the first time and, though I never read every book cover to cover, I was blown away by the depth of it all. From the pivotal ‘Elder Scrolls’ to ‘The Lusty Argonian Maid’, the fact that a group of people had sat down and written all of this was astounding. Some may ask what’s the point? Who’s gonna read it all anyway? Well, you’d be surprised, but the ‘point’ is to bring their universe as close to a living thing as possible, to immerse the player in a world that they’ll wish to be real but to also weave together a fathomable collection of folklore.

Amnesia’s game was more puzzle oriented, so the literature was a lot more cryptic. Here it played a more dualistic role. In The Elder Scrolls, you’re roaming freely through an expansive country, picking up quests as you go. In Amnesia you’re scampering through a linear plot, in which knowledge equals survival. As such, the literary works to paint a picture, but a really abstract one that maybe you’re looking at upside-down. In A Machine for Pigs, most of what you come across are self-scribed notes or letters written by the player-character. In Dark Descent, it tells a little more of the history as well as the present situation. You can differentiate based on the role the protagonist plays in each game. With the more personal tone present in Amnesia, you could follow the path of a character’s demise, getting to know the ghosts of people that found themselves in the same torment. In A Machine For Pigs, you were able to follow or discover, your own descent into madness and disillusionment. This worked to construct the story of the game and added to the nightmarish, mind reeling feeling.

Special Mention

Lastly, I want to give a special mention to literature in Fallout 4. I loved the collectable magazines and comic-books, which brought more colour and whimsy to the game. Bethesda does a great job of tongue in cheek humour with the Fallout series, and these little remnants of the previous world exemplify this. One that stands out in my mind is the ‘Grognak the Barbarian’ collectible – a comically medieval axe and loin cloth that can be found in the Silver Shroud quest. Giving a vague shout-out to 1950’s and 1980’s geekery. This component of gameplay brought a great interactive experience that unlocked aspects of character and homestead customisation, among other things. Additionally, I have to laugh at the idea of the lone survivor risking life and limb scouring the wasteland for magazines and comic-books. If you remove the context of customisation and think of it from a purely role-playing perspective, it’s an absurd endeavour.

Conclusion

So we can see that the art of storytelling has found its new home in video games; providing this generation’s artists with a playground of experimentation. Whatever game they’re working on the opportunity is given to reinvent the craft. In addition, it allows the player to experience this as something old made new. Aiding immersion, moving us and giving us a part to play in it. It has become an interactive media in which we are the protagonists, we are the story or at least a portion of it.

Planet of the Eyes is retro puzzle adventure with an immersive narrative that tells the tale of a lowly service robot stranded in a mysterious world.

At first glance, the simplistic graphics and sparse open levels led me to believe that the game was made on a shoe-string budget, but after playing, I realised that the rainbow colour palette and use of simple gradients are actually a considered design choice and perfectly portrays the isolation and confusion of the game’s narrative.

As a newly sentient robot (and a player) the world is strange and your reasons for exploring it are driven by a series of strange audio journals that slowly explains what and why events had happened.

Along the way, you’ll meet an array of weird and wonderful creatures all out to kill you, in a multitude of colourful ways. The epic quest across the alien planet is mixed with classic 2D side scrolling puzzles from filling rooms with water to redirecting light beams. The pacing is good and it not too hard to progress through this kaleidoscopic planet.

Some have kindly described it as limbo with colour, and the beautiful vector art enhances the retro sci-fi aesthetic.

At almost four hours in, I have enjoyed my experience with Planet of the Eyes and found the adventure serene, engrossing and warmly nostalgic. With solid voice acting, haunting music and an engaging narrative, this is a joy to play.

Don’t let first impressions of simplistic graphics put you off, as Planet of the Eyes is a deeply considered and charming indie game with an absorbing story and enchanting puzzle.

]]>Four Most Anticipated Shooters Coming This Fall for Xboxhttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/09/08/four-anticipated-shooters-coming-fall-xbox/
Fri, 08 Sep 2017 21:22:54 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9757If you are distressed by the fact you will have to wait a year more for the last GOT season, here is a list of great games to entertain you this fall. Recently, I have been slow to discover new games. I just binged on my all-time favorite CS:GO, deliberately ignoring what’s happening in the […]

If you are distressed by the fact you will have to wait a year more for the last GOT season, here is a list of great games to entertain you this fall.

Recently, I have been slow to discover new games. I just binged on my all-time favorite CS:GO, deliberately ignoring what’s happening in the gaming world. I understood it’s time to shake things up when I heard my friends discussing upcoming games and realized I have no idea what they are talking about. Finally, I need to get back on board and pack my brain with new information about upcoming games.

That’s why I have decided to create a short list of must-plays I should at least check this year. And here’s what I’ve got for my Xbox shooters list. Most of the games will be available on PS4 and PC, too, so you will barely miss anything if you want to try something from my list.

Destiny 2

Release: September 2017

The game is already out for Xbox and PS4, but fans who will play on PC will have to wait another month or so, that’s why I’m still counting it as upcoming. And, as you have probably already read, it’s good. Bungie is well-aware of the shortcoming of the first game, and it seems they have put in great effort to fix them. The developers left what was great about the project, particularly skill-demanding raids and difficult loot hunts, and bridged holes in the narrative. The game is promising a new storytelling technique which will mesmerize you from the very beginning, or so they say. You won’t also need to turn to external sources to learn the backstory of the world. Finally, all information can be acquired in game.

Star Wars Battlefront II

Release: November 2017

Creating anything connected to the Star Wars universe is risky, because the bar is high, and there are so many devoted fans they will hate on anything new gaming industry produces. However, this is a good thing at the same time – as the expectations are high, game developers are bound to create masterpieces. And while the first game in the Star Wars Battlefront series was deemed mediocre because of flimsy battle mechanics and lack of famous mods beloved by shooter fans, the second one appears to be promising. Luckily, it seems that game developers have taken into account fans’ complaints and are ready to impress us with the reintroduction of space combat, brand new approach to character leveling and locations from “The Force Awakens” and “Rouge One.” The single-player plot revolves around an Empire operative, which also sounds quite luring.

Call of Duty: WWII

Release: November 2017

How can there be a “best” or “most anticipated shooters” list without COD in it? Though I’m not a great fan of the franchise, it’s undeniable that Call of Duty is a veteran both in the gaming industry and especially in the shooter genre. After exploring extraterrestrial frontiers, the game is back to its roots. While few pre-release news pieces don’t give us much information about changes in the single player mode, since there hardly will be any, the multiplayer mode is rumored to be heavily modified. A new class system and a multiplayer war mode, focused heavily on the teamwork, will be added. Also, changes are made on the community side – you will be able to visit a new social hub to interact with fellow players and show off your cool gear.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

Release: October 2017

The franchise which is often deemed the godfather of most of the modern FPS is promising a brilliant comeback. After several impressive projects and painful fails, Wolfenstein is back to our PCs and consoles. Lucky gamers who have managed to get their hands on demo mark intense and gritty combat, bloody stealth attacks and innovative approach to killer toys, which will keep you on the edge of your chair. We will also meet most of the old and beloved (or hated) heroes, including BJ Blazkowicz, Anya, Fergus, Wyatt, and, of course, Frau Irene Engel. It’s notable that BJ Blazkowicz is moving in a wheelchair, which prompts that both the narrative and gameplay will be tense and captivating.

What are your plans for this fall? Share your most anticipated shooters (and even non-shooters, I fancy most of the gaming genres), so everyone will benefit and enlarge their gaming library and to-play list.

]]>Review: Chromagun | Xbox Onehttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/08/19/review-chromagun-xbox-one/
Sat, 19 Aug 2017 13:27:40 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9742ChromaGun is the indie game that I wish I’d made. It’s a stripped back pure first-person puzzle game drawing on the very best of the genre. ChromaGun has enough similarities to Portal to draw a comparison, whilst being refreshingly unique in so many ways. The main protagonist does use an experimental weapon to solve a […]

ChromaGun is the indie game that I wish I’d made. It’s a stripped back pure first-person puzzle game drawing on the very best of the genre. ChromaGun has enough similarities to Portal to draw a comparison, whilst being refreshingly unique in so many ways. The main protagonist does use an experimental weapon to solve a variety of puzzles around a test centre, the game has near constant narration by an amusing yet serious guide and the white walls and minimalist environment does bear some similarities to the Valve classic but ultimately it is a very different game.

ChromaGun is a game about colour mixing, switches and drone management. There are no holes in time and space, but doors, switches to open said doors and robotic drones that act as keys. Paint a drone red and it floats to the nearest red wall. Paint two opposing walls red and the drone hovers patiently equidistance between the two walls. This mechanic is vastly different to portal creating a whole new experience.

ChromaGun does not linger on world building like Valve’s 2007 ground-breaking Portal but simply begins by giving the player a brief introductory scene introducing a pseudo-scientific facility and quickly arming you with the titular paint-ball gun. Players will soon learn how to identify the surfaces that are susceptible to paint, and how the various pigments may affect their surroundings.

Most of the game’s puzzles revolve around the deadly worker drones that must be guided to switches, buttons, or electrified tiles. The drones are drawn to surfaces that match their own colour, meaning that players will have to paint both the walls and the drones to ensure they go where they are supposed to.

The ‘weapon’ from which the game takes its name is not, in itself, very impressive, nor is it a weapon. Firing it at drones either changes their colour or simply annoys them into chasing you. Firing it at cameras simply changes where they face as the three colours have insufficient power to even destroy them. Players may cycle through the use of red, blue, or yellow paint, but there’s not much beyond that. These primary colors will often need to be combined to create green, purple, and orange to mix things up a bit. Adding any pigment to a secondary colour, though, results in a dull brown that’s useless for drawing in the drones that may otherwise turn on the player and end their journey.

ChromaGun works on a ‘my way or the highway principle as there is really only one way to solve many of the puzzles and will punish errors by forcing you into a corner until you restart. One of the beautiful things about Portal, and other puzzle games that stand out from the crowd, is that it’s actually quite difficult to really hit a brick wall. While these games still present a challenge, they often present alternative problem-solving angles to allow players to recover from their own mistakes.

However, this aspect is far from a deal-breaker. It’s a well-designed game, and free from the bugs and fun to play. The puzzles increase in difficulty over time, presenting a solid challenge to players as they go. Gameplay is smooth, though the graphics feel a bit dated and lack variety. The sound effects are passable, but it’s the decent voice acting by way of the narration that really gives the game its personality.

]]>10 things more likely to happen than Halflife 3 being released this yearhttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/07/31/10-things-likely-happen-halflife-3-released-year/
Mon, 31 Jul 2017 21:32:00 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9718It’s not quite the Nottingham Knights; there’s certainly an absence of murder, toxic waste and logical reasoning but Half-Life 3 is certainly worthy of a film or television mystery. The Nottingham Knights was a video game part of the plot for an episode of Elementary, loosely based on the shenanigans around Atari and the E.T. […]

It’s not quite the Nottingham Knights; there’s certainly an absence of murder, toxic waste and logical reasoning but Half-Life 3 is certainly worthy of a film or television mystery.

The Nottingham Knights was a video game part of the plot for an episode of Elementary, loosely based on the shenanigans around Atari and the E.T. video game. Half-Life 3 hasn’t plumbed those depths of mischief and Machiavelism but has acquired the same mythical status.

Valve, the game creators, offered a tease about a new game being on the horizon. Gabe Newell, the studio chief, hinted in June 2017 that there would be a new “single player experience” in the Half-Life/Portal universe. It’s the latest hint on Half-Life 3, a project which suffered more leaks than a plumber can fix.

We’ve welcomed YouTube and Twitter; two new Popes; Hurricane Katrina; Google enter the OED as a verb; seen Pluto lose its planet classification; spacecraft land on Mars and comets; six generations of iPhone; the Hadron Collider and the Higgs-Bosun particle; America’s first black president; America’s first orange president; Space Shuttle pensioned off; USB 3.0; Windows 8 and 10; the Wii U; and, the number of web-connected devices exceed the total human population.

Another planet like Earth exists

It is indeed very possible, according to research conducted by Betway. Scientists took one look at social media and decided intelligent life on Earth is in short supply so they are looking to the stars and beyond.

The Voyager Interstellar Mission has sent music into space to lure extra-terrestrial life to a galactic disco. Among the panpipes and bagpipes, resides Johnny B Goode, Melancholy Blues, Dark Was The Night, and the Brandenburg Concerto. Sadly, no room for the Birdy Song or Agadoo.

Aliens exist

It may not be intelligent life but aliens are likely to exist, according to the BBC. It’s not going to be easy to find them, with “tens of thousands” of planets likely to be searched before we find E.T.

With the Earth estimated as having only “a billion years” left thanks to increased solar luminosity, the various space agencies around the globe need to get their act together.

Your job being replaced by a robot

Some might argue that’s no bad thing and if the number of Amazon delivery drivers in the world is reduced, progress has been made. Sadly, they are replacing them with drones and the chances are that the 24-piece teaset you ordered, will be 120 pieces by the time it reaches the ground.

Retail and manufacturing are the two main areas where ‘progress’ is being made. A 2013 report suggested that in the long-term 47% of all jobs in the USA are at risk. The staccato automaton voice asking if “you want fries with that” is not too far away.

We are living in a computer simulation

The Truman Show for computers. If real-life is indeed a computer simulation, the program has a flaw or two. Still, the thought of being able to drop in Tron-like gear and riding the lines of a microchip has a certain appeal.

It would explain a few things as well. How electronic cars became common place and why nobody thought Thomas Edison’s Ghost Busting Machine was a good idea.

War with North Korea

Time to call Team America: World Police if this really is in the offing. Those dudes have the experience of this eventuality.

Finding a four-leaf Clover

They do exist, honest. Finding one has long been considered a token of good fortune. Not may exist with the odds of finding one being 1 in 10,000. The biggest private collection of four-leaf clovers is estimated at 160,000 which begs the question how many clover had to be checked to get to that level.

And also proves the theory put forward at number 10 in this list, about the lack of intelligent life on earth.

Being killed by a meteorite

OK, it’s not the cheeriest of life events and one which definitely curtails life but Half-Life 3 is taking longer to arrive than a lump of rock from space. The National Geographic reports on this misfortune which struck one man in Southern India during 2016 while mentioning the unfortunate Ann Hodges of Sylacauga, Alabama in 1954.

Earth being hit by an asteroid

Bruce and the team will be on hand to save us but the question still remains: is it more practical to train engineers to become astronauts or astronauts to become engineers. We’re more likely to find the answer than see Half-Life 3!

War With Russia

The Cold War spawned a myriad of novels, films and television notably Dr. Strangelove, The Americans and the Harry Palmer trilogy. With global politics driving the world into another phase of mistrust, the brink of global destruction is never far away. And we thought the zombie Nazis from Call of Duty were just the product of an overactive imagination…

Winning The Euromillions

It could be you. Or more likely to be them but it doesn’t stop 13 million Britons playing the game every draw.

]]>Urban Nightmare: State of Chaos | A Mega Game Storyhttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/07/21/urban-nightmare-state-of-chaos-a-mega-game-story/
Fri, 21 Jul 2017 06:00:06 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9700Urban Nightmare: State of Chaos a massively multiplayer global game that mixes elements of board games, card games and real world interactions. Set across four cities across the world, the teams are assigned a group or agency to represent. Groups include state officials, city government and emergency services, corporate entities and the local press. Teams […]

Urban Nightmare: State of Chaos a massively multiplayer global game that mixes elements of board games, card games and real world interactions. Set across four cities across the world, the teams are assigned a group or agency to represent. Groups include state officials, city government and emergency services, corporate entities and the local press. Teams must interact and communicate to achieve their objective and implement suitable countermeasures to stop the zombie threat… assuming there is a solution.

Mega games are like nothing I have experienced before and mixed roleplay, strategy and negotiation all packed into a high-pressure situation.

Throughout the day deals are made, alliances brokered and the city teams fight hard to keep back the Zombie threat. Emails are sent in real time and throughout the day the press team put out a stream of stories from collaborations to slanderous lies.

By the end of the day, the cities were overrun, political candidates changed position and the White House was largely out of the loop.

Eventually, the warring tech firms had finally created the much-needed weapons, but it was too late to make any significant difference. Other teams had developed vital cures and useful preventions, but by this time they had a working prototype, there was little left to save.

Politicians cared more about votes than people, corporations were still demanding money for research and the malitia just caused trouble for everyone.

It was such a busy and chaotic day and working through lunch meant it was hard to think, but all in all, it was great fun and worth recommending.

This global Mega Game was one of the first of its kind and a lot of lessons were learned, but overall it was an interesting experience worth doing again.

]]>Building The Town of Light [Video]http://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/07/20/building-town-light/
Thu, 20 Jul 2017 19:48:14 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9715Discover How Award-Nominated Developer Brought a Crumbling Psychiatric Asylum to Life for Psychological Thriller, The Town of Light

Navigating the corridors, rooms and grounds of Italian psychiatric asylum the Ospedale Psichiatrico di Volterra today elicits a very different atmosphere to when it was still fully operational – right up until the late 1970s. Its walls have succumbed to nature and its roofs no longer protect from the elements, yet remnants of the pain once suffered on its grounds are still palpable in the air.

In the haunting behind the scenes video ‘Building The Town of Light,’ game developer LKA.it explores the asylum, its surroundings and the emotional scars it left upon its inhabitants, highlighting how LKA digitally restored it for the award winning, first-person psychological adventure game, The Town of Light. Other discussion points include the challenges of development, the endeavor’s jarring subject matter, and how the importance of the narrative meant LKA.it were determined to overcome anything to deliver one of the most compelling stories of recent times.

Winner of the indieDB Editor’s Choice 2015 award for “Best Visuals” and Game Connection Paris 2014 award for “Best Narrative,” The Town of Light is a first-person, story-driven adventure game set in the Volterra Psychiatric Asylum. The asylum was shut down in the late 1970s due to an Italian law that instructed all asylums to close completely and give back patients their civil rights.

Murder can be a messy job, blood stains are tough to get out and bodies can be so cumbersome to move. It’s all very well slaughtering three people when working for the mob, or killing a man in the heat of an argument, but when does anyone think of the poor cleaner when making such a magnificent mess. If you didn’t before, you will do after playing Serial Cleaner by iFun4All. Serial Cleaner sees’s you play as a Winston Wolf style ‘Cleaner’, who is an expert in body disposal and crime scene cleaning. You’ll never look at a crime scene the same way again.

Serial Cleaner is a top down stealth game with a vacuum. Set in the 1970’s the story follows the rise of an un-named cleaner who lives with his mother in suburbia, complete with a garden gnome and paddling pool. The art deco inspired cartoon look works well and the use of a limited colour palette gives the game a beautifully unique look.

The music re-affirms the seventies feel using a bass slapping, keyboard grinding, saxophone tooting soundtrack that gives the whole experience a Shaft-style beat.

Another unique element is the lack of offensive actions. The cleaner, despite is no-nonsense dialogue, emotionless face and cold hard dead stare can not cause harm to the other characters on the map. If they touch you, the level resets and you start over.

Anyone who has played the Viscera Cleanup Detail will know what it’s like to clean up after a massacre, but what Serial Cleaner does is use the various cleaning tasks as milestones for completing the level. Clean up 80% of the blood, remove all weapons from the scene and collect key pieces of evidence. Each job is broken up with playable home life scenarios in which you can read the paper, watch TV and enjoy some meatloaf with your dear old mum. I suspect this home map will be used later on in the game.

Having played around three hours of Serial Cleaner, I can happily say I am hooked. The game is reminiscent of the early Metal Gear Solid games or the more recent Volume, but on a two-dimensional plane. It can be frustrating to restart the level after doing so much and I expect this will become more evident the deeper into the game I delve.

Collectibles also include various costumes from Bruce Lee’s iconic yellow jump suit to what looks like Night Fevers white suit. Additional bonus levels can be unlocked that have you cleaning up various movie scenes from Alien, Taxi Driver, Monty Python and the Holy Grail and even the Mos Eisley Cantina.

If you are looking for something a bit different this summer then Serial Cleaner is a stylistic stealth puzzle game worth checking out.

Check out our interview with Krzysztof Zięba, one of the designers at iFun4all, and the primary writer behind Serial Cleaner.

]]>Developer Interview: Serial Cleanerhttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/07/11/developer-interview-serial-cleaner/
Tue, 11 Jul 2017 21:49:27 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9687With Serial Cleaner being released this week, I managed to steal some time with Krzysztof Zięba, one of the designers at iFun4all, and the primary writer behind Serial Cleaner. Q1. What made you get into game development? I’ve been a gamer for as long as I can remember and I’ve spent a fair amount of time designing […]

With Serial Cleaner being released this week, I managed to steal some time with Krzysztof Zięba, one of the designers at iFun4all, and the primary writer behind Serial Cleaner.

Q1. What made you get into game development?

I’ve been a gamer for as long as I can remember and I’ve spent a fair amount of time designing small projects – from board games, through pencil&paper RPGs – growing up and studying. I’ve always wanted to create video games in some capacity and started actively looking for employment in the industry after I completed my bachelor’s degree. I’ve found work as a tester, initially, and then made the switch to game/level designer.

Q2. How would you describe Serial Cleaner?

Serial Cleaner is a fast-paced stealth game with a big focus on its 1970s theme and atmosphere. Its initial design was inspired by games such as Hotline Miami, Party Hard and Viscera Cleanup Detail, though we’ve since created a set of mechanics which feel entirely our own. You take on the role of a professional Cleaner – sort of like Mr. Wolf from Pulp Fiction, but more hands-on – who works for the mafia. Over the course of the game, our protagonist starts taking jobs from a different, more mysterious Client, and that introduces the Cleaner to a whole new world of trouble.

Q3. What were the core design goals and how did the design evolve in response to the frequent playtesting?

Initially, we were aiming at a much more slow-paced, deliberate stealth game – essentially a real-time puzzle game with some inspirations taken from stuff like the Hitman series. We quickly found that this isn’t exactly the kind of game we’d like to make, and instead, we focused on making it more of a dexterity game with a stealth component. That stealth element was still pervasive throughout the game, and we haven’t really left out the puzzling component either! In the end, the game is definitely a mix of styles and genres, that we hope is interesting enough to feel fresh.

Q4. When did you decide Serial Cleaner could be a game in its own right?

We knew from the start we wanted to make a bigger game out of Serial Cleaner, though the scope changed as our development reality shifted from making a shorter, simpler title in just a few months, to spending a year on it, to finding a publisher in Curve Digital, which allowed us to extend the production even further. This also gave us the chance to put some finishing touches on the game and add stuff like bonus levels and different costumes – both were features we were excited about but had to cut from our plans… until they could be added back in again!

Q5. Serial Cleaner is coming out on July 14th – How long has it been in development and is out on schedule?

We’ve started development in early 2016, and we had our first playable demo ready in April 2016. Since then a lot has changed, but if you’d play that demo, you’d see that the game’s core gameplay is very similar – just a lot poorer in quality than what it is now We were aiming at completing the bulk of the work in 2016, but since securing Curve Digital as our publisher we expanded the game’s scope. That expansion was a sensible process though – we’ve delivered all internal and external milestones on time, so the additional features did not have a negative impact on the schedule. We are releasing on time

Q6. What has been the biggest issue and how did you overcome it?

We had a few core features of the gameplay that felt like they could be either liked or hated by players. We did our best to refine some and re-do others and we’re happy with the end result – player feedback has been almost universally positive. It seems then, that the main issue – how to balance the game so it works for different playstyles and doesn’t feel weird – has been solved by some polish, balancing and smart level design.

Q7. Can you tell me more about the film inspired bonus levels

The 1970’s are known for a lot of things: the wild hairstyles and clothing, funk and disco music etc. but not everybody knows that some of the most influential movies of all time were also born out of that decade. And some of those movies were actually pretty bleak – like Taxi Driver or One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – which belied the “feel good” view that many people have of those times now. Since several of us in the team were fans of cinema, we wanted to add in a few nods to those classics in the main story, but we then found we’re actually able to make whole new levels inspired by some of our favourite flicks. We had a lot of fun designing them and sprinkling them with all sorts of Easter eggs. We’re curious how many of them are the players going to find!

Q8. Do you have any rituals, music, or perhaps, meditation you practice to get you into your workflow?

Not exactly, but the design and art teams spent a lot of time researching the 1970s in preparation for, and during production. We almost literally submerged ourselves in the decade’s music, art, movie trailers… anything we could find. We did a lot of reading about serial killers, too – the 1970s have seen the biggest activity of such individuals in history. In other words, we did all we could to do justice to our game’s setting and atmosphere!

Q9. What do you think are the greatest challenges that face an indie developer?

From my perspective, it’s definitely figuring out a unique set of mechanics and a fun blend of gameplay that conveys all you want it to convey while feeling fresh and interesting. There are so many games right now, coming from so many talented, creative devs, that it’s really hard to compete in terms of great ideas. Sometimes it all comes down to improving an already good idea and creating a game that uses its full potential.

Q10. Could you share any tips with other devs trying to make games?

Identify early on what it is in a project that makes you happy or feels like a worthwhile path to explore. In some ways, you are your worst enemy, and your self-doubt might kill a project before it’s even ready to be shown to the world. Also, know what elements of your game are the core that you are not willing to negotiate – but make sure that’s the cornerstone on which you’ll be able to create a game, and not a bit more. Defining why your game is fun and what’s inseparable from that fun, is key to creating a focused title that’ll be remembered for what it did well.

Bonus Questions:

Are you generally a clean person, and what is your favourite and least favourite chore?

I’m a bit of a fanatic when it comes to hair. I’ve had long hair since high school and I shampoo them every day. When I don’t, I feel filthy and get really grumpy real fast! I also really dislike summer because of high temperatures and sweating – I’m more of an autumn/winter person.

When it comes to chores, I don’t mind doing the dishes, and I like organizing stuff on shelves – especially when I can listen to a podcast or have a YouTube video playing in the background. I like cooking enough that I don’t usually consider it a chore. I’m not a fan of window cleaning and dusting, to be honest – mostly because it’s a lot of hard work that gets wasted just a few days in!

If your partner or co-worker accidentally killed someone (a bad person), would you help them cover it up?

Well, if I answered that, I’d have to call THEM to help ME cover something up…

Thank you SO much Krzysztof for taking the time to answer our questions and we will have a full review of Serial Cleaner soon.

Being an early adopter I was eager to road test my Xbox One Day One Edition complete with Kinect. Unlike many, I welcomed the edition of the Kinect as the ability to talk to my Xbox was getting close to full on Star Trek technology.

In hindsight, it was ahead of its time as now Amazon Echo, Google Home, and other voice assistants now fight for your commands.

One of the first ‘killer’ apps for Kinect was the Fitness app which opened up a library of workout videos to tech lovers and gamers. Sure, I didn’t use it every day, but when I did I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

The library grew to an impressive size but going online now just shows a handful of titles. We can only assume that the licensing deals, managing department, and surrounding organization must have cost more than it was making in sales.

Now, five years into the consoles life cycle, it is being retired. I can partly understand why, as I know I didn’t buy anything but surely if the infrastructure and the content are there, why not just leave it. Or alternatively, sell it as a standalone app that those who did buy content could still access it.

The Microsoft support boards are full of requests to keep the fitness section but these have ultimately fallen on deaf ears. The Xbox commitment to games is meaning that all non-essential functions are being replaced or retired.

My favourite memory of Xbox Fitness was doing one of the Yoga classes in which my daughters and I renamed the various poses (trumping dog, instead of downward dog) in order to complete the work out. Similarly, watching my 4 year old train like an American footballer (shimmying back and forth) will always make me smile.

]]>Hearthstone Alternatives For Lovers of Card Gameshttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/07/03/hearthstone-alternatives-for-lovers-of-card-games/
Mon, 03 Jul 2017 12:18:32 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9663Hearthstone is fantastic and I have lost many hours to it. However, with recent price hikes and updates it has definitely made me rethink my addiction. I am not jumping on the backlash bandwagon, as I still really enjoy it and I don’t foresee myself quitting anytime soon. Needing a break, I decided to look […]

Hearthstone is fantastic and I have lost many hours to it. However, with recent price hikes and updates it has definitely made me rethink my addiction. I am not jumping on the backlash bandwagon, as I still really enjoy it and I don’t foresee myself quitting anytime soon. Needing a break, I decided to look at other online card games to fill the void from shameless clones to themes not yet used in collectible card games (CCGs). I haven’t yet settled on a replacement, but have looked at a number of possible alternatives to Hearthstone.

Magic Duels

Magic: the Gathering regularly releases digital versions of its offline card game. This year is no different with a refreshed roster of all new all stars. However, with Hearthstone gathering momentum, Magic: the Gathering has switched to a freemium model and is reinventing itself as a digital locker rather than simply a standalone game.

Each game is a duel between yourself and an opposing planeswalker. Planeswalkers are like Jedi who have dominion over the multiverse, its creatures and the magic ‘force’ that binds it all together. Each player has 20 health and through the placement of various cards the aim is simple take 20 damage from the opposing Planeswalker and revel in the victory. The initial tutorials can be tiresome for card playing veterans, as it feels like it targets first-time players however, if you make it through the hand holding and ropey cut scenes it becomes fun and a viable alternative to Hearthstone.

Spellweaver

Developed a Magic: The Gathering Grand Champion in partnership with Dream Reactor, Spellweaver is a free-to-play digital card game true to the classics of the genre. Those familiar with Magic: The Gathering will be able to get stuck in right away, however, there are various options to break-in new players. Sadly, the starter packs are limited and there is a lot of pay-to-win options. For those who see themselves dedicating a lot of time on Spellweaver, there are two ‘box’ options for £50 and £100 which gives you hundreds of pounds worth of packs and drip feeds you additional cards on a weekly basis. A great option for hardcore players, but very daunting to new players hoping to enter the tournaments. Whilst this looks very similar to a tabletop card game, the online version allows for greater depth and complexity and might be overwhelming for players new to CCGs.

Eternal: The Card Game

Brought to you by Dire Wolf, the creators of the Elder Scrolls card game, Eternal beautifully merges aspects of both Hearthstone and Magic: The Gathering. From the card design to the deck building, there are a lot of borrowed aspects however, the addition of the five factions that include time, primal, shadow, justice and fire that can be used in a normal 75 card deck. The life count starts at 25 and like most CCGs, the aim is to beat the 25 out of your opponent. What I love about Eternal is the generous amount of content available at the free-to-play level with a fully realised campaign with AI opponents and both real PVP and draft PVP options. Its great fun to play, fast paced and has monopolised more time than the others on this list.

Star Crusade

Dubbed as Hearthstone in Space, Star Crusade: War for the Expanse is a free-to-play card game based in a richly styled sci-fi universe. Players takes command of one of the six factions vying for supremacy in an unclaimed exotic sector of space. Factions are unlocked by beating them in a match and they all play very differently. The story is engaging and a lot of effort has been put into backstory and worldbuilding. One aspect that is pretty unique is that custom decks can have between 25-40 cards and your health is dependent on your number of cards. Therefore, you can play the standard game type with a health of 25 org for a bigger deck lowering the chance of certain cards coming up. Due to the different factions and play styles there are many routes to victory and you can get a good feel of the game with investing a lot of money. The biggest draw of Star Crusade is the setting, as I am huge Sci Fi fan so its great to see this theme in a CCG.

Shadowverse

Shadowverse is a Japanese card card with a beautiful anime art style packed full of typical anime ladies. The seven classes include forestcraft, swordcraft, runecraft, dragoncraft shadow craft, bloodcraft and Havencraft. Each craft has their set of creatures from fairies in forestcraft to huge creatures in dragoncraft. The cards have a special ability called Evolve that allows players to ‘evolve’ the cards in your deck to more powerful version. The 400+ cards each have special effects and an array of voice work. The story mode is a simple way to learn the ropes and become familiar with the UI and once you feel more comfortable you can enter the PvP arena. Game wait time was minimal indicating a growing community around the world. One of my favourite parts of Shadowverse is the user interface and its multitude of animations from simple card flips to spectacular level up explosions.

Solforge

Born from the co-creators of Ascension and Magic: The Gathering, SolForge boasts the strategy and depth of a traditional trading card game experience all designed around the convenience of mobile gaming. In SolForge, you take on the role of a Forgeborn, one of the select few who can wield the magic of the SolForge itself. You collect cards that represent ferocious creatures and powerful spells and use those cards to construct decks and battle AI opponents or test your skills against other players in the arena.

The play takes place in a two lane field and the cards fall into two categories; spells and creatures. Each player has 120 health points and as with the other CCG’s, the aim is to reduce your opponent’s health to zero. Like Pokemon, each card has three levels that increase the starter creature to and buffed up super beast. Whilst I like the artwork, it would be so much better if they were animated.

Of the various card games mentioned above, my two favorites had to be Star Crusade and Eternal and have seriously pulled me away from Hearthstone. So whether you are simply after something new or have an issue with the price changes in Hearthstone, these games are well worth your time and as they are free-to-play, you won’t lose anything by simply trying them out.

]]>Review: The Town of Light | Xbox Onehttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/06/27/review-town-of-light-xbox-one/
Tue, 27 Jun 2017 06:03:07 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9658Town of Light is a game of apprehension and confusion. Set in the wreck and ruin of a real world mental institute in Italy, it follows the story of Rennie, an abused and mentally unstable girl who is on a quest to piece together the broken shards of her life. The story IS the game […]

Town of Light is a game of apprehension and confusion. Set in the wreck and ruin of a real world mental institute in Italy, it follows the story of Rennie, an abused and mentally unstable girl who is on a quest to piece together the broken shards of her life. The story IS the game and whilst it looks harrowingly beautiful, does the narrative hold up in a world of jump scares and horror games?

When I first played Town of Light at EGX Rezzed, my character was tasked with finding a burned and broken doll before taking her to a particular ward to keep warm. The game’s creepy vibes oozed from every pixel. I was eager to play more.

Released in early June, Town of Light is an ambitious and thought-provoking game that tackles a difficult subject in a way that no other medium could. Whilst many will expect jump scares and monstrous nightmares, it’s the disturbing and downright horrifying tale of Renee’s childhood that will haunt you in ways that no video game ghost ever could. Whilst the pace may be unbearably slow for those used to fast-paced first person shooters, the overall experience will linger and certainly have an effect on its player.

I will not delve too deep into the story as the experience is best enjoyed through the narrative journey, but the ability to have conversations with your internal multiple personalities is a fantastic concept and helped to build a more rounded picture of the terrible activities that happened in 1940 Italy. The graphics are sufficient and work well as the character jumps between modern day exploration and her black and white memories. The pen-styled artistic interpretations used to depict scenes of violence and abuse, work very well and add to the experience. Voice acting is well acted for the most part and the sound effects work to create a sense of atmosphere. However, I would have liked a few more, slamming doors, bird crows or footsteps to keep me on the end of my seat.

Sadly, it’s not all positive, the walking speed is excruciatingly slow and some additional voices for the additional personalities might have helped differentiate their distinctness. I was disappointed in the lack of any real danger, but once I settled into the story, it was much easier to navigate the institution.

Overall, Town of Light is a different kind of horror game with just enough about it to keep you interested and tell a compelling story. The game highlights mental illness and the mistreatment of patients, which is not topics generally associated with video games. A few minor technical flaws may bug some, but when a game leaves you emotionally altered and genuinely disturbed, you have to take your hat off to it.

Huge thanks to LKA for this thought-provoking and depressing tale unlike many of the other horror games currently on the mark

]]>Review: Final Fantasy VII Classic Editionhttp://www.gamingdebugged.com/2017/06/21/review-final-fantasy-vii-classic-edition/
Wed, 21 Jun 2017 19:44:05 +0000http://www.gamingdebugged.com/?p=9651There’s been a lot of hype about Final Fantasy VII recently, mostly due to the anticipation of the PS4 Remake of the game. To add to the buzz, the original 1997 game has recently been released for smartphone and PS4 download. I have to confess, I am a cult-follower of Final Fantasy VII since its inception. Back […]

There’s been a lot of hype about Final Fantasy VII recently, mostly due to the anticipation of the PS4 Remake of the game. To add to the buzz, the original 1997 game has recently been released for smartphone and PS4 download.

I have to confess, I am a cult-follower of Final Fantasy VII since its inception. Back in the early days, I killed an ominous giant snake lurking in the marshes and quickly fell in love with the game. As soon as I was old enough to grasp it properly, I took to the PS1 to conquer this mighty 100-hour long RPG.

For anyone unfamiliar with Final Fantasy VII (FFVII), the game follows the story of Cloud Strife, a mercenary working with the Avalanche group to stop the exploitative and greedy Shinra corporation. Cloud meets various friends and foes along the way, forming relationships and love triangles, and bonds of love and necessity.

As the game progresses the plot thickens, and the group sees themselves confronted by black magic, horrifying beasts, plots for world domination, and battles against the infamous villain Sephiroth. Without giving too much away, this game goes beyond life and death to deliver an unbeatable plot. It is as much a narrative and grand fairy tale as it is an RPG game, with themes that rival Shakespeare!

In terms of the gameplay, FFVII never fails to impress. The battle system is turn-based, which is not to everyone’s taste, but if you like that kind of thing this game pulls it off effortlessly, with plenty of spells and attacks, defensive and support magic and tactical items and equipment to aid the evolution of your characters.

The battling is held together by the ever-progressing story, which is broken up by a non-linear game mechanic which allows you to explore other parts of the map and wander around towns talking to background characters. You can approach the game in any way you want. There is an abundance of mini-games to keep you happy, many of which can be found at the Gold Saucer, a giant casino amusement park where you can play with in-house currency to win back money and items. The trend towards iGaming in video games is becoming ever more apparent, with the likes of Yazuka game series on PS3 featuring a mini betting game and there is evidence of the lines blurring between the two sectors with the “gamification” of entertainment products such as the video poker concept.

Even if experimental is not your thing, FFVII still offers plenty of range for the hardcore gamer. FFVII can be completed comfortably in perhaps 20-40 hours, but if you want to do max out your characters and beat the Ruby and Emerald weapons (arguably the toughest optional bosses in any game, ever!) then you are talking 100-150 hours!

As you might be able to tell, FFVII is one of my favorite games of all time. I just don’t think many games have been made that have quite this level of thought and detail. In its time, FF was visually stunning too, pushing the PS1’s graphics to its absolute limits. Modern gamers will have to look past the now outdated graphics if they want to enjoy this truly beautiful game, and it does still look great on smartphone screens too!

In terms of its social intelligence, I think FFVII does an amazing job. It was developed over in the East, and many of the characters are white, though we do see the appearance of Barrett, a lovable dark-skinned man. I have to say though, he does come across slightly like the token black guy, and has a Mr. T sort of vibe. Other characters include a tough and ready woman, a delicate flower girl who turns out to be a savior, a warrior dog, a lost soul of a vampire, and an aircraft pilot. The women and men in the game are equally strong and formidable. Even more than this, we see that the women and men are equally supportive and essential to each other. Homosexuality is not directly represented in the game, but it is possible to have the main character go on a date with a man.

FFVII tackles issues such as class really well. When the characters are exploring the slums in Midgar, never do we get the feeling that the people living there are being undermined. On the contrary, it becomes obvious that the cause of the town’s bad condition is the big corporations that are exploiting it. We see the game from the perspective of missionaries who are fighting for the people, and we begin to feel compassionate towards those who suffer in the game.

The game also has something of a global feel. The continent contains lots of civilizations that all have a different culture and feeling, and as we play we come to understand the ways of each settlement. None are evil. The evil forces in the game do not come from a certain area, but from certain influences or ‘bad guys’, and deeper than this from human vice itself.

I would urge anyone who has recently heard of Final Fantasy VII to give it a try. Don’t wait for the Remake. Download this epic game on your phone or PS4, and get ready for the ride of your life. If you like 100-hour long RPG games with unforgettable storylines, then this is the game for you!